Odisha Cabinet Caps Weekly Working Hours At 48
Lifts restrictions on women working at night; mandates overtime pay; Education plan and temple revamp proposal also cleared
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved a series of landmark proposals spanning labour, education, and religious tourism, underscoring Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s bid to balance welfare, infrastructure, and cultural heritage.
Among the key decisions was an amendment to the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, and the Factories Act, 1948. The provisions of the Act will now apply to shops and commercial establishments employing 20 or more workers. However, all such establishments, regardless of the number of employees, must display signboards in Odia. Some of the key amendments to the Act include: An increase in the daily working hours for employees from 9 to 10 hours, no employee may work continuously for more than 6 hours without a minimum half-hour break, the quarterly overtime limit has been raised to 144 hours, employees working beyond 10 hours a day or 48 hours a week will be entitled to overtime wages at double the regular rate, shops and commercial establishments may now operate 24/7, 365 days a year.
The amendment also lifts restrictions on women working at night. Women can now be employed in night shifts with their written consent and subject to conditions notified by the state government.
Additionally, the amendments extend Employee State Insurance (ESI) coverage to establishments with 20 or more workers.
In education, the Cabinet cleared the Godabarish Adarsha Primary School scheme, which aims to establish at least one model primary school in every panchayat. In the first three-year phase, 2,200 schools will be set up at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore, with each school receiving more than Rs 5 crore in funding. The initiative will later be scaled up across the state to strengthen foundational education in line with the Right to Education Act, 2009.
The Cabinet also approved a Rs 226 crore redevelopment plan for the famed Ghatagaon Tarini temple in Keonjhar district. Spread across 69 acres, the project includes a pilgrims’ inn with accommodation for 246 people, a dedicated Nadiya Bhandar, and a 500-seat hall for community gatherings. Officials said the redevelopment is aimed at boosting amenities for devotees and enhancing religious tourism at one of Odisha’s most revered shrines.
“The approval of these proposals marks a significant step in strengthening labour welfare, education infrastructure, and religious tourism in Odisha,” said Chief Minister Majhi.
