PANAJI
To improve operational flexibility for industries, the State has extended the allowable spread-over of work hours for adult workers in factories from 10.5 hours to 12 hours, while retaining statutory limits on working hours and overtime protections.
As per the Economic Survey for the Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers tabled in the Assembly on Friday, the reform, introduced under the Ease of Doing Business framework, allows industries to plan shifts more efficiently and stagger rest intervals without affecting worker welfare provisions mandated under the Factories Act, 1948.
“The extended spread-over allows industries to better manage shifts and stagger breaks, improving manpower utilisation, while statutory limits on working hours and overtime wages remain in place to protect worker rights,” it said.
The survey also mentioned that the rest interval threshold for workers has been increased from five hours to six hours, enabling industries, particularly those with continuous operations, to better organise work schedules and minimise interruptions in production cycles.
“This change aims to provide greater operational flexibility in work scheduling while ensuring worker welfare is protected. The reform has allowed industries, especially those with continuous operations, to better organise workflows by minimising interruptions, leading to improved productivity and efficiency without compromising statutory rest and welfare protections for workers,” the report stated.
As part of broader regulatory reforms, the government has also notified a third-party inspection framework for factories. The system involves empanelled competent agencies that will carry out inspections to ensure compliance with safety and labour laws.
According to the survey, the mechanism reduces reliance on routine departmental inspections while enhancing transparency and accountability. It also enables professional and timely inspections, minimises duplication and disruption to industrial operations and allows the department to focus regulatory efforts on high-risk and non-compliant units.
During 2025“26 (up to December 2025), the department conducted 101 factory inspections and 129 boiler inspections. It also registered 15 new factories and 12 new boilers during the period.
The department continued to perform a range of statutory functions, including approval of factory plans, grant and renewal of factory licences, recognition of occupational safety auditors and competent persons, approval of safety and welfare officers and factory medical officers, as well as industrial hygiene surveys and worker medical examinations.
