Goa: Bill tabled allowing women to work in night shifts

Goa Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar on Tuesday tabled an amendment to the Goa Factories Act, which proposes to allow women to work in the state's factories during the night-shift.

The Goa Factories (Amendment) Bill tabled by Kavlekar, who is also the minister for Factories and Boilers, will allow women to work in factories and industrial areas from 7 pm to 6 am, which the Act in the current form bans.

"The amendment will not only help the state's business sector but will also boost manufacturing as well as empower women to work later shifts," Kavlekar said.

The amendment was cleared by the cabinet last month when Vijai Sardesai was the minister in charge of the Factories and Boilers portfolio. The amendment has been opposed by women's groups as well as trade unions in Goa, who have claimed that it would endanger the lives of women during their commute during late hours.