Centre to introduce draft Bill on Small Factories in budget session

HYDERABAD: The NDA government is all set to move amendment proposals to Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill and Factories Act, 1948 and introduce Draft Bill on Small Factories (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) in the upcoming budget session, Union Labour Minister B Dattatreya said today.

The Minister said once the Bill is passed with amendments, the Child Labour Bill would have more tooth to deal with serious issues related to child labour.

"Employing children below 14 years is totally banned. Children between 14 and 18 years should not be assigned works of hazardous and critical nature. Anybody violating the provisions of the law would be imprisoned besides being fined penalties," Dattatreya told reporters at a press conference here.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour examined the Bill and submitted its report in December 2013. The report was considered through an inter-ministerial consultation, he said.

Dattatreya said the new Small Factories (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Bill is aimed at regulating factories with workforce less than 40.

After obtaining comments and views of all stakeholders including general public, the Bill will be placed before the Cabinet for approval and subsequently in Parliament during the budget session, he added.

The Amendments to the Factories Act 1948 would give flexibility to states on industries, besides enhancement of penalties for violation of provisions, he added.

On migrant labour issues, the Minister said he would hold discussions with Ministry of External Affairs for better security and health aspects of workers abroad.

He also said he would hold talks with labour ministers of Telangana, Karnataka, Orissa and Chhattisgarh on child labour issues.

Dattatreya also said he would ask the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to issue a white paper on the progress of Dilsukhnagar bomb case.