Karnataka Minister Says No to Longer Work Hours

Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad expressed reservations about a proposal to increase daily work hours from nine to ten hours, citing concerns about the current workload and the need for stakeholder consultation, as the proposal originates from the central government. He says, "To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours. The new proposal suggests increasing work hours from nine to 10 hours daily, with a cap of 48 hours in a week. I will call every stakeholder, unions and talk to them and take their opinions as the proposal has come from central govt. Prima facie, I am not for it."

The proposal aligns with recent labor law reforms in India, where the central government has been pushing for changes to facilitate ease of doing business, potentially impacting state-level labor regulations and worker conditions.

This development occurs amidst opposition from trade unions in Karnataka, who view the extension of work hours as detrimental to workers' health and work-life balance, reflecting broader tensions between economic growth initiatives and labor rights.