The Andhra Pradesh Government has issued a circular that allows women to work in factories in night shifts.

Hitherto, there was no night shift option.

This move comes immediately after an executive from Kellogg’s at Sri City raised this issue during a business seminar with State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Naidu has directed the Office of the Director of Factories to immediately allow women to work in night shifts across all factories in the new State of Andhra Pradesh, with necessary safety and security measures.

Safety measures

He called upon the managements of the factories to ensure provisions for the occupational safety and health, equal opportunities for women employees, provision of lunch rooms/rest rooms/ladies toilets and night crèches for their kids, apart from establishing a cell for protection from sexual harassment. Naidu further said managements should also ensure that women are provided transport from the factory to their residence.

In 2001, the High Court of (united) Andhra Pradesh had struck down Section 66 (1) (c) of the Factories Act, 1948 that restricts women from working at a factory between 7 pm and 6 am.

Though the State permits such jobs in IT sector, factories would now be able to hire women workers even for third shift.

With the number of women securing jobs in factories too on the rise, the move would benefit both women workers and companies.

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