Madhya Pradesh is the first State in the country to send a Bill for President's ratification for simplifying 15 Central labour laws for Ease of Doing Business.
The State has sent for ratification the Madhya Pradesh labour laws (Amendment) and legal Provisions Bill-2015 passed by the Vidhan Sabha to simplify and liberalise provisions of 15 Central labour laws.
Madhya Pradesh is pioneer in amending and simplifying labour laws. last year, 13 labour processes were simplified under the Voluntary Compliance Scheme through an administrative order.
In case no objection is raised against an application under Building and Other Construction Workers (Employment & Regulation of Service Condition) Act, Contractual labour Act, Inter-state Migratory labourers Act and the Motor Vehicle Workers Act within 30 days of registration or permission, it will be deemed accepted.
Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996 provisions for not including cost of plant and machinery in cost of construction of factory and appeal can be made against order to fix cess. It will create a congenial atmosphere for employers of construction workers and they will be inspired to employe maximum number of labourers.
Under the Factory Act, 1948, it is proposed to increase overtime work's days in any quarter from 75 to 125. Overtime will be with consent of labourers. There is also a provision to ensure safety of women workers in night shift from 8 pm to 6 am.
It is proposed under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to make mandatory the 3-year prescribed time-limit for arbitrator in cases which are put up in labour courts and industrial tribunals. It will release undue pressure of extremely old cases.
A provision has been made to give 3 months notice instead one month along with wages of minimum 3 months in case of lay-off of labourers. Due to it, labourers will get more economic benefit in case of lay-off.
Permission for lay-off, retrenchment of staff or closure of unit will be binding for institutions employing 300 or more employees instead of 100 or more employees. This will motivate employers to take more labourers on the role.
Disposal of case by realizing compounding fee is proposed instead of fine or upto 3-month imprisonment under labour laws including Equal Wages Act, 1976, labour law (Exemption from Filing Returns and Maintaining Registers) Act, 1988, Payment of Wages Act, 1936 and Sales Promotion Employees (Service Conditions) Act, 1976. As a result, employers' time will be saved since they would not have to spend it in court proceedings and cases will be disposed of at the earliest.
A provision is also made for simple and unified register and unified return instead of a number of registers and forms. This will end duplication of records and provide simplified facility to employers.