Overview
- Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s Cabinet approved amendments to the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act and the Factories Act, lifting the daily cap to 10 hours while retaining a 48-hour weekly limit.
- Women may work night shifts with written consent under state-mandated protections that include GPS-tracked transport, verified drivers, CCTV coverage, well-lit facilities, and a minimum of three women on duty.
- The overtime ceiling rises to 144 hours per quarter, with double wages for work beyond 10 hours a day or 48 hours a week, and no shift may exceed six continuous hours without a 30-minute break.
- Businesses employing 20 or more people gain the option to operate 24/7 and come under expanded ESI coverage, and all establishments must display signboards in Odia.
- BJD leaders welcomed growth goals but questioned enforcement capacity, urging clear published guidelines, voluntary overtime safeguards, and a stronger labour inspectorate with digital wage tracking and surprise audits.