Women Allowed to Work Night Shifts in All Sectors: FM in Budget

What’s in store for women in Union Budget 2021? Here’s what you need to know.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam

Presenting the Union Budget 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, 1 February, announced that women will be allowed to work in all sectors and in night shifts, with adequate safety. She added that social security benefits will be extended to gig and platform workers.

However, women being allowed to work in night shifts was already notified by the Centre as a part of Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (Central) Rules, 2020, which are likely to be implemented from 1 April.

Catch all live updates of the Budget announcement here.

According to the rules, following conditions shall be met for employment of women during night time or before 6 am, and beyond 7 pm in any day, namely:

• The consent of women employee shall be taken
• No women shall be employed against the maternity benefit provisions laid down under the Social Security Code, 2020 (36 f 2020)
• Adequate transportation facilities shall be provided to women employees – to pick-up and drop such employee at her residence
• The workplace including passage towards conveniences or facilities concerning toilet, washrooms, drinking water, entry and exit of women employee should be well-lit
• The toilet, washroom and drinking facilities should be near the workplace where such women employee are employed
• Provide safe, secure and healthy working conditions such that no women employee is disadvantaged in connection with her employment
• In case of below ground mine, not less than three women employees shall be on duty at any place
• The provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (14 of 2013), as applicable to the establishments, shall be complied with

Sitharaman announced Rs 1,000 crore scheme for tea workers – especially for women and children in Assam and West Bengal.

The finance minister also added that Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which provided LPG connections to women of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, will be extended by one crore in the coming year.