Increasing working hours to 10 is unscientific, says Labour Minister Santosh Lad
Bengaluru: Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has expressed strong opposition to the central government’s proposal to increase the daily working hours of employees from 9 to 10 hours, calling the move unscientific and impractical.
Speaking at a press conference at Vikasa Soudha on Thursday, the minister said that the Union Labour Ministry had sent a proposal to all states to amend the 1961 Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act to extend the working hours. However, he clarified that the Karnataka government will first gather feedback from workers before taking any decision.
“The state believes in equal policy opportunities. While we do have provisions for additional work hours when necessary, in most progressive countries, there is no pressure on workers to extend working hours. But in India, such pressure has been increasing,” he noted.
Citing Bengaluru as an example, Lad pointed out that workers often spend up to two hours commuting between home and office. “Considering such issues, increasing working hours further is not reasonable,” he said.
The minister further stated that if workers voluntarily agree to the extended hours, the rule may be implemented selectively in certain companies or sectors.
“We will issue guidelines accordingly. However, if workers face stress or problems, they are free to file complaints with the Labour Department. We will then investigate and take appropriate legal action,” he assured.
Reacting to reports that India’s largest IT firm, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), plans to reduce its workforce by 2% by the 2026 financial year, Lad said, “We will talk to the company. If complaints arise, we will take them seriously.”
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PM Modi inaugurates India AI Impact Expo, interacts with startups
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo here featuring over 600 high-potential startups and 13 country pavilions showcasing international collaboration in the AI ecosystem.
He also interacted with startups participating in the expo.
The prime minister visited various stalls and spoke with the companies participating in the expo. He was seen asking questions from company representatives to better understand what they are showcasing.
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The prime minister spent several minutes at various stalls while interacting with the representatives.
The Expo brings together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, central and state governments and international partners.
Spread across 10 arenas covering more than 70,000 square metres, the Expo brings together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, Union ministries, state governments and international partners.
The Expo also features 13 country pavilions, showcasing international collaboration in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem. These include pavilions from Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and Africa.
The Expo will host over 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations, structured across three thematic chakras -- people, planet and progress.
In addition, the Expo will feature over 600 high-potential startups, many of them building globally relevant and population-scale solutions. These startups will demonstrate working solutions that are already deployed in real-world settings.
