Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Factories Act Amendments: Daily Work Hours Extended To 12, Weekly Limit Raised

The Maharashtra state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has approved significant amendments to the Factories Act, 1948, and the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, 2017. The move is aimed at boosting investment opportunities and creating more employment.

Under the amendments to the Factories Act, the daily working hours have been increased from 9 to 12 hours (Section 65). The mandatory rest period, earlier required after 5 hours of work, will now be allowed after 6 hours (Section 55). The weekly work limit has also been revised upward, from 10.5 hours to 12 hours (Section 56). These changes are designed to ensure better operational continuity during peak demand or workforce shortages, while also enabling workers to earn additional legal income with wage protection.

For the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, which applies to establishments employing 20 or more workers, daily working hours have been raised from 9 to 10 hours, while urgent work limits can extend up to 12 hours. Additionally, permissible overtime has been increased from 125 hours to 144 hours. Establishments with fewer than 20 employees will now be exempt from obtaining registration certificates, though they must still notify authorities before commencing operations.