Mantralaya sources told The Financial Express on Tuesday that the issue was discussed at the recent meeting on "rationalisation of labour laws," of the high powered committee, headed by the state chief secretary Arun Bongirwar. The necessary proposal on rationalisation of inspections has already been sent by the industries department to labour department last week.

As far as Trade Unions Act is concerned, the state government wants that Trade Unions should be registered only if it has at least 30 per cent of employees in that establishment as its members. Such registration should only be in respect of establishments employing more than 25 workmen and the number of office bearers/executives who are not connected with that establishment should not exceed one third or two whichever is less.

Industries department would move the necessary proposal in this connection in two weeks and send it to labour department for further action.

It may be mentioned here that the Centre had proposed amendment to section 4 and 22 of the Trade Unions Act to provide that no union would be registered in an establishment unless at least 10 per cent of the workmen or 100, whichever is less, agree for formation of such union in that establishment, and the number of outside office bearers should not exceed one third.

The state government proposes to enhance the minimum number of workers with regard to applicability of the Factories Act from 10 to 25 (with power) and 20 to 50 (without power), self certification of safety and health requirements by units which would, consequently, go out of the purview of the act and sets out the implications of the consequent application of Bombay Shops and Establishments Act to such units. The government is pondering over the idea of extending licence upto 10 years under Factories Act and the necessary note has been prepared by the state labour department.

The high powered committee has pointed out that the state government was competent to amend the central acts such as the Factories Act, Trade Unions Act, Contract Labour Act, Minimum Wages Act and Industrial Disputes Act as these subjects are in the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution.

Furthermore, the state government proposes to increase the number of workers in the definition of applicability to 50, with further relaxation to 100 workers in respect of industrial units in backward areas and also to exclude maintenance, support and other activities ancillary to the main activities of the establishment from the purview of the Contract Labour Act.