JOIN USCoronavirus Lockdown 3.0: Karnataka to relax laws to benefit industries?
The Karnataka Cabinet today is expected to approve an ordinance to amend labour laws that are likely to benefit industries whose operations have taken a beating due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
According to sources, the government is considering amending the Factories Act, the Industrial Disputes Act and the Contract Labour Act. The cap on overtime in factories is expected to go up from 75 hours per quarter to 100 hours, sources indicated.
Karnataka may join other BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat that have eased regulations to help ailing industries.
Trade unions have been up in arms on the proposed labour law tweaks, especially after Labour Secretary P Manivannan, who has since been transferred, reportedly assured the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) during a video conference last week that some laws will be revisited.
The Cabinet is also expected to approve an ordinance to remove restrictions on the sale of agricultural produce, which the government believes will help farmers get greater market access. The ordinance will amend the law to curtail the powers of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC), and farmers will be able to sell their produce anywhere and not just in 'notified markets' as required currently.
The Opposition Congress and JD(S) have strongly protested the move. On Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah spoke with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa over the phone, urging him to drop the ordinance. He argued that this would make it difficult for the government to regulate prices and that farmers will become vulnerable to market forces.
Another ordinance is expected to come up before the Cabinet today that seeks to regularise an estimated 75,000 unauthorized properties in layouts developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) by levying a penalty. Such illegal properties are located on about 5,000 acres of BDA land spread around the city. The cash-strapped government will look to raise some revenue by regularizing these properties.