Current Affairs - State - Discussion

Maharashtra has approved significant amendments to its labour laws, increasing the maximum daily working hours for private sector employees. Under the Factories Act, the limit has been extended from 9 to 12 hours with mandatory rest breaks after 6 hours, while the overtime cap has been raised from 115 to 144 hours per quarter. Similarly, under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, daily working hours have been raised from 9 to 10, with an overtime cap of 144 hours per quarter. These changes are designed to attract investment, create jobs, and strengthen worker rights, with safeguards such as double overtime pay and written consent for extended hours. The reforms align Maharashtra with other states that have already modernised their labour frameworks.