New Delhi, March 29 — Meeting a longstanding demand for gender parity in the workforce, the Centre today approved an amendment in the Factories Act to allow women employees to work late-night shifts with employers providing adequate safeguards at the workplace and while commuting. The amendment, allowing women to work between 10 pm and 6 am, will benefit those working in special economic zones, textiles, and the IT sector (especially call centers) as it includes a rider that these timings shall be allowed only if the employer ensures safety.
The flexible timings shall be allowed 'provided adequate safeguards in the factory as regards occupational safety and health, equal opportunity for women workers, adequate protection of their dignity, honor, and safety, and their transportation from the factory premises to the nearest point of their residence' are made, said Information & Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy.
So far, the IT sector and SEZs were employing women for late-night work hours but had no legal obligation to provide these safety measures.
Reddy said the act was being amended to uphold the provisions by courts at various levels. It would empower the states to provide exemptions in special cases, such as SEZs and IT institutes. They would be authorized to allow employment between 7 pm and 6 am in a factory or group of factories subject to the conditions.
The Cabinet also approved the inclusion of Manipur University as a central university to provide central funding and minimize the imbalance in educational facilities available in the Northeast.
It would entail a non-recurring expenditure of Rs 49 crore towards providing necessary infrastructure spread over three years and an annual expense of Rs 11 crore per annum.
The Manipur University Bill would be introduced in the current session of parliament to bring the university as well as the College of Technology at Imphal within the ambit of central government funding.
The Cabinet also decided to extend VAT in the union territories of Daman & Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli through an ordinance.
It also gave ex-post facto approval to an agreement reached between India and Serbia and Montenegro on cooperation in the fields of science and technology that envisions work on joint scientific research projects and the exchange of researchers, university professors, and experts.
Win-win for India Inc
India Inc sees the move as a step forward on labor reforms. Textiles, manufacturing, IT, and electronics are expected to gain. Garment units already employ 60% of the women workforce; this will go up. BPO and the services sector are unaffected as they do not come under the Factories Act. Women are preferred to men as workers, considered more patient, attentive, and loyal. Most Asian countries, including China, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and Taiwan, have a huge women labor force.