On Monday, the Odisha Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approvedย historic amendments to the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956. These reforms boost Ease of Doing Business, attract fresh investment, empower women, and energize Odishaโs economy.
Odisha is now a serious competitor in Eastern India, challenging states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh!ย ๐
๐ Key Features of the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act Amendments 2025
| Feature | Old Provision | New Reform |
|---|---|---|
| โฐ Daily Working Hours | 9 hours | 10 hours (max 48/week) |
| ๐ Continuous Work | 5 hours | 6 hours, then 30-min rest |
| ๐ฉโ๐ผ Night Shift (Women) | Prohibited | Allowed with consent & safety |
| โณ Overtime Limit (3 months) | 50 hours | 144 hours |
| ๐ฐ Overtime Pay Rate | Double | Double |
| ๐ช Shop Hours | Limited by law | 24/7, 365 days a year |
๐ฏย Key Takeaway:ย Odisha is opening its doors to round-the-clock business, higher productivity, and womenโs empowerment.
๐ญ Impact on Workers, Businesses, and Odisha
๐ทโโ๏ธ For Workers
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๐ต Higher earning potential with more overtime
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๐ก๏ธ Mandatory womenโs safety at night
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๐ Expanded opportunitiesโIT, retail, manufacturing
๐ข For Businesses
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๐ 24/7 operations now possible
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๐ Less compliance burden, simpler rules
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๐ Flexible workforce management
๐๏ธ For Odisha
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๐ญ Increased investment appeal (Vedanta, Tata Steel interested)
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๐ Urban growth in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Cuttack
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๐ฅ More jobs for youthโurban and rural
๐ Women’s Night Shift Empowerment
๐ฉโ๐ผ Odisha now allows women to work night shifts with written consent and strict safety measures.
๐ฌ โThis reform unlocks new avenues for Odishaโs women in IT, manufacturing, textiles, and logisticsโespecially in Angul, Sambalpur, and Ganjam.โ
Key Protections:
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๐ Secure transport for commuting women
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๐ซ Zero tolerance for harassment
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โก Fast complaint redressal systems
๐บ๏ธ East India Labor Law Comparison
State |
Max Daily Hours |
Night Shift (Women) |
Overtime Limit |
Special Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
๐ข Odisha |
10 |
Allowed (consent & safety) |
144 hrs/qtr (2x pay) |
IT, Retail, Corporate |
๐ต Jharkhand |
8 |
Restricted, extra safety |
Standard (2x pay) |
Mining, Worker Protection |
๐ก WBengal |
9 |
Groups only, strict safety |
Double pay, extra |
Womenโs Safety |
๐ฃ Chhattisgarh |
10 (commercial) |
Restricted, safety measures |
6 hrs/week (2x pay) |
Heavy Industry |
๐ Education Push: Building Rural Talent
๐ย Godabarisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Scheme:
Model schools at village level will prepare rural youth for Odishaโs industrial boom.
โ ๏ธ Challenges & Safeguards
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๐ก๏ธย Enforce womenโs night safetyโnot just promise
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๐ Link transport/security to industry growth
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โ๏ธ Donโt sacrifice worker welfare for productivity
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๐ Build real compliance/monitoring systems
๐ค What This Means for Jharkhand
๐ค๏ธย Jharkhand faces a choice:
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๐ Compete for new investment by relaxing laws?
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๐ก๏ธ Or double down on worker protection and welfare?
With rich mineral reserves and a booming service sector, Jharkhandโs decisions will shape the future of Eastern Indiaโs economy.
๐ Points to Remember
โ ย Quick Facts:
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โฐ Odisha: 10-hour days, max 48/week
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๐ฉโ๐ผ Women can work night shifts (with safety)
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โณ 144 hours overtime limit per quarter
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๐ช Shops can open 24/7
