Odisha’s state cabinet made some big moves on Monday to boost business and worker rights. In a meeting in Bhubaneswar led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, officials greenlit four key proposals from three departments: two from Labour and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), one from Works, and one from School and Mass Education (SME).
CM Majhi shared the details with reporters right after. The spotlight fell on updates to the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, and the Factories Act, 1956. These labor law changes in Odisha target shops and businesses with 20 or more employees.
One clear rule stands out for everyone: All commercial spots in Odisha, no matter how many workers they have, must display signboards in Odia to promote local language use.
Workers get a bit more flexibility too. Daily hours now stretch from nine to 10, but shifts can’t run longer than six straight hours without a 30-minute break. Overtime caps jump from 50 hours to 144 hours over three months, making it easier for businesses to ramp up.
If you work extra beyond 10 hours a day or 48 in a week, you’ll earn double your regular pay— a win for employees in Odisha’s growing job market.
In a major step for gender equality, the cabinet lifted restrictions on women working night shifts. With their written okay, plus solid safety measures and transport, women can now join late hours. This opens doors for more inclusive employment in Odisha.
Majhi tied these reforms to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for industrialization and ease of doing business. “Odisha already pulled in Rs 13 lakh crore in investments, eyeing 13 lakh jobs,” he said. “We’ve kicked off Rs 2 lakh crore in projects, creating over one lakh jobs so far. These changes will spark faster growth and a friendlier setup for industries.”
The cabinet didn’t stop there. They also approved fresh ideas from the SME and Works departments to keep Odisha’s development on track.
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