President given assent to Labour Laws (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2015

President PranabMukherjee given assent to the Labour Laws Bill of Gujarat, which has provisions to ban strikes in public utility services for up to one year. The Bill was sent for the President’s approval along with the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and OrganisedCrime (GCTOC) Bill, 2015 which is yet to be approved.

• The bill also sought to change certain basic definitions in the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and clauses in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

Objective: “To strengthen labourers and employers equally in the industrial hub of Gujarat.”

Reforms:

• Payment of wages by cheque, in establishments that employed over 20 labourers to give a push to the PradhanMantri Jan Dhan Yojana that means labourers in Gujarat who get wages by cheques willget into their bank accounts under PMJDY.
• Government fixed compounding amount for industrialist maximum of Rs.21,000and for labourers it is between Rs.150 and Rs.3,000, amending the Industrial Dispute Act.

Labour and Employment minister:Vijay Rupani.