Gandhinagar : The Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act (Amendment) Bill, which was earlier published in the Gazette, was introduced in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly today by the Minister for Labour and Employment, Kunvarji Bavaliya. It was passed unanimously by the members of the House.
Regarding the Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Bill, Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya said that the state government has made various provisions in the Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2019 to improve the working conditions of workers, create more job opportunities for women, provide a conducive environment for doing business, run the institution 365 days a year and freedom of opening and closing times of the institution. He added that with this amendment, the provision for the application of the law will now apply to shops and institutions with 20 or more workers instead of 10 or more workers earlier. Thus, shops and institutions in which less than 20 workers are working will not have to register under this law, but will have to report online.
Minister Bavlia said that increasing the working hours of institutions will increase customer convenience. Thus, with the aim of boosting economic activity and increasing the economic development of the country, this amendment has increased the limit of daily working hours from 9 hours to 10 hours. In addition, the limit of consecutive working hours has also been increased from 5 hours to 6 hours. In addition, the maximum limit of overtime work, which was 125 hours in a total of three months, has been increased to 144 hours in the current amendment, which will increase productivity. As the increase in productivity increases the profits of the shopkeepers, the profit participation of the workers will increase and their economic well-being will increase.
The Minister said that in today’s modern times, the contribution of women in the economic development of the country is increasing rapidly. With the consent of the female worker and the organization providing women with rest rooms, night shelters, women’s toilets, proper protection of their dignity, honor and safety, protection from sexual harassment and arrangements for transporting them from the organization to their residence, a female worker may be allowed to work between 9 pm and 6 am in a shop or organization. Thus, the state government has made a provision in this law to ensure that the dignity, safety and security of women are maintained at the workplace.
Stating that Gujarat has achieved its unique position in the direction of development in the entire country, Minister Bavlia said that in accordance with the demands of today’s modern times and within the framework of ease of doing business as well as in line with the changing social and economic conditions of the state, a bill has been brought to amend the Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Employment Regulation and Conditions of Service) Act, 2019, by objectively considering the interests of all, including workers, traders, owners and the public.
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