Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government is weighing a proposal to increase the maximum daily working hours for private sector employees from the current nine to ten hours, according to Labour Minister Akash Fundkar.

The proposed change, aimed at bringing greater flexibility to workplaces and aligning state labour laws with global standards, was recently presented to the state cabinet by the labour department during a meeting held in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The move would involve amendments to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, which regulates employment conditions in shops, hotels, entertainment venues, and other commercial establishments across the state.

“The state cabinet has asked the labour department for more information before taking any final decision,” Fundkar said.

He also indicated that broader labour reforms are under review, including provisions concerning women working late hours. “Once the labour codes are finalised, women will also get to work at late hours. In the existing rules, shops and establishments with 10 or less workers were not covered under our ministry. The new proposal raises the number to 20,” he said.

While confirming that deliberations are ongoing, Fundkar stressed that no conclusions have been reached. “No final decision has been taken on any of the issues yet. All the proposals are under consideration,” he said.

Highlighting one of the motivations behind the proposal, Fundkar added, “In many private establishments, we found that people are working for longer hours than the prescribed ones but do not get paid for the extra work. This is one of the reasons we are considering increasing the working hours.”

Officials from the labour department revealed that the draft proposal includes around five major amendments. These include increasing the permissible overtime limit from 125 hours to 144 hours over three months, and revising regulations concerning continuous working hours, ensuring mandatory breaks for employees.

According to the department, these amendments are designed to create a more accommodating work environment, particularly for women, while also addressing longstanding concerns of both employers and employees.