Women have been allowed to work in underground mines, and would be deployed in open cast mines during night hours also, as part of the Government’s efforts to create more employment opportunities for them.
The Labour Ministry has issued new rules permitting women to work in opencast mines during 7 pm to 6 am.
Earlier, employment of women in underground, opencast mines were restricted under Mines Act, 1952.
Last week, PTI reported that the Ministry has decided to allow women to work in underground mines and also to relax timings for opencast mines.
“The central Government hereby exempts the women employed in any mine above ground and in any mine below ground from the provisions of section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952,” a labour Ministry statement said.
According to the statement, the owner of a mine may deploy women between 7 pm and 6 am in any mine above ground.
In the case of underground mines, women can be deployed between 7 pm and 6 am in technical, supervisory and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required.