Karnataka CM Siddarmaiah assures eight-hour work at factories

The Congress government reversed a decision that was taken when the BJP was in power.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday assured a delegation of rights activists that his government would reduce daily work hours at factories from 12 to eight, reversing a decision that was taken when the BJP was in power.

Siddaramaiah gave this assurance during his meeting with members of Samyukta Horata - Karnataka, an omnibus organisation representing groups fighting for Dalits, labourers, students and others.

In February last year, the Factories (Karnataka Amendment) Bill was passed in the legislature. The law allowed the government to increase daily work hours from nine to 12, not exceeding 48 hours a week. This was aimed at creating "more economic activities and employment opportunities".

The delegation urged Siddaramaiah to reverse this. According to a statement from his office, Siddaramaiah said the law "does not make 12 hours of work mandatory" and that the government "will review and reduce it to eight hours as before".

Siddaramaiah also promised that his government will review amendments to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act that allows anyone, even non-agriculturists, to own agricultural land. This was a major reform under the previous BJP government that liberalised agricultural landholdings. "Amendment brought to Section 79(a) and (b) of the Land Reforms Act will be corrected," Siddaramaiah said, according to the statement.

The CM also promised that he would push for the passage of a Bill to reverse the previous BJP government's decision allowing farmers to sell wherever they want as opposed to them having to trade only in notified markets or yards (APMC).

The Bill is currently before a house committee. He further assured that cooperative and national banks would be instructed not to forcibly collect loan instalments from farmers.