KOLHAPUR: The Devendra Fadnavis led government has asked the labour department to study 20 laws — some of them over 100 years old — and present a report suggesting changes in 30 days.

The government has formed a committee of six bureaucrats of the department, including thw labour commissioner, and others to prepare a report on some sensitive laws such as minimum wage (1936), contract labour (1970) and Child Labour Act, 1986.

The government issued an order on January 30, in which deputy secretary D S Rajput has asked the members to present the report within 30 days from the formation of the committee.

The order mentioned that the Union government has adopted ‘Make In India’ mission to boost domestic manufacturing, production and research. “The state government has also adopted ‘Make In Maharashtra’ and ‘Digital India’ missions. The government was considering to appoint a committee to amend or change and simplify laws and acts of the labour department. The committee has been established under the labour commissioner,” Rajput stated in the order.

Meanwhile, the order has irked labour leaders, who believe that the state government is tampering with the system to please the industrialists. Former labour minister Hasan Mushrif has alleged that the government is working at the behest of industrial lobbies.

“This government is following the path set by Gujarat and Rajasthan governments that have modified, changed and made laws and acts suitable to the industries only. All the labour unions in the country have demanded that they should be consulted before making any changes. We have already opposed the changes suggested by the Union government,” said Govindrao Pansare, a veteran leftist leader.

“Cutting across political affiliations, the labour unions are united over the proposed changes. We will oppose the changes which will harm the interest of labours,” he added.

Anti-child labour activist Anuradha Bhosale criticized the bureaucratic approach of the government and demanded inclusion of social organizations in the committee. “Child labour and some of the other acts are sensitive and will impact larger section of the society. We cannot afford a bureaucratic approach. It seems the present committee is formed within the labour department. Besides, it is highly impossible to study and recommend changes in 20 laws in 30 days,” she said.

Mushrif said unnecessary changes would harm labours in the state. “It (government) is working on the behest of industry tycoons. How are they going to change all these laws within 30 days? Everything is fixed already,” he told TOI.

