U’khand govt permits women to work in night shifts

The Uttarakhand government has granted conditional permission for working women to work in night shifts in shops and other business establishments that were not allowed till date.

A decision as to this was ratified by the state cabinet on Wednesday along with an increase in ex gratia compensatory assistance to the victims of man-animal conflicts from six lakh to ₹10 lakh.

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Women in the Uttarakhand have not been allowed to work in night shifts at shops and business establishments other than that of essential services like medical and IT that were not allowed in the past. Pushkar Singh Dhami cabinet has stamped a proposal of the social welfare department subject to the condition that it must be adhered to by the employers.

Briefing the cabinet decisions state Director General (DG) information department Bansidhar Tiwari informed that permission was granted for women employees to work in night shifts from 9 PM to 6 AM in the shops and other establishments if employers would make adequate provisions for their safety and security.

Tiwari said that according to the cabinet decision employers will first have to take the consent of women employees in black and white to work in night shifts.

“The cabinet will provide more opportunities for women employees to work leading to their financial empowerment. They can be asked to work the night shift only after their prior written consents by the employers. It will offer women employees with equal work opportunities at par with their male counterparts fulfilling the goal of gender equality more effectively” said Tiwari.

Another big decision of the Dhami cabinet was pertaining to ex-gratia relief payments for the victims of man-animal conflicts under “Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Distribution Fund Rules – 2024”.

“As per existing norms ₹6.00 lakh is provided to the dependents of the deceased man-animal conflict victims. Considering the gravity of human losses and the constantly repeated public demand to increase the amount, the state cabinet gave its go ahead to the financial assistance to the man-animal conflict deceased to ₹10 lakh. State cabinet decision was also in sync with a similar resolution made by the government at the 10th Governing Body meet of Tiger Conservation Foundation for Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) this year” said Tiwari.

Besides these Dhami cabinet has also accepted the proposal for tabling before it the advisory sent by centre on the proposed Metro Neo Project in Dehradun. Tabling audit reports of Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board and Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited in the state assembly along with restructuring of the prosecution department were other important decisions taken by the state cabinet on Wednesday.