The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government will simplify labour laws: Bacche Gowda

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Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Government will simplify labour laws: Bacche Gowda

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The State Government is committed to simplifying and making more flexible labour laws, some of them which are four decades old, Minister for Labour B.N. Bacche Gowda said here on Monday.

Speaking at the 31st Annual General Meeting of Bangalore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said earlier governments had amended the law on women in workplaces to enable the IT enabled Services sector have women on night duty, subject to certain safety conditions. The labour officers were now empowered to enforce the new rules.

“Similarly, we will look at necessary changes to laws regarding contract workers and factory workers. This will only be to fit into changing conditions, without loss of jobs,” Mr. Gowda said. With regard to foreign direct investment, productivity per employee and total output in the manufacturing sector, Karnataka fared better than the national average and this had to be maintained and improved. Minister for Small Scale Industries Venkataramanappa said: “Major industries are concentrated in and around Bangalore. If new units are located in the districts, especially backward regions, the government will offer several incentives.”

This would have two benefits; with more jobs created in the districts, Bangalore may get decongested and industries will have a cost advantage because land, construction and labour would be less expensive than in the city, he said.

BCCI President John Panikar said continued industrial growth would depend on major improvements to infrastructure.

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