Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment addressed concerns regarding low inspection rates of hazardous and general factories in key industrial states, as highlighted in a 2021 report. The government relies on State Governments to enforce the Factories Act, 1948, which ensures the safety, health, and welfare of factory workers. The COVID-19 pandemic is noted as a possible cause for decreased inspections.
Key Points / Main Content:
Factories Act, 1948 Enforcement:
• The Factories Act, 1948 provides for the safety, health, and welfare of workers in registered factories.
• State Governments enforce the Act through Chief Inspectors of Factories CIFs Directorates of Industrial Safety and Health DISH.
Inspection Details:
• Annexure details the State/UT-wise number of registered factories inspected from 2014-2023.
• DGFASLI report indicated a decrease in inspections, possibly due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Capacity Building:
• DGFASLI conducts specialized training programs for State Government-appointed Factory Inspectors.
• A basic course for Factory Inspectors aims to impart technical knowledge and skills in safety and health.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments:
• Impact: Responsible for enforcing the Factories Act, 1948, and ensuring adequate inspection of factories within their jurisdiction. The State Governments are responsible for appointing the Inspector of Factories.
• Action Required: Continue enforcing the Factories Act, address factors causing low inspection rates, and consider specialized training programmes organized by DGFASLI for the Inspector of Factories.
Factory Workers:
• Impact: Directly affected by the enforcement of safety, health, and welfare provisions outlined in the Factories Act, 1948.
• Action Required: Adhere to safety regulations and report any violations or concerns to the appropriate authorities.
Directorate General Factory Advice Service Labour Institutes (DGFASLI):
• Impact: Responsible for organizing specialized training programs for Factory Inspectors.
• Action Required: Continue providing training and resources to enhance the skills and knowledge of Factory Inspectors.
Key Entities Referenced
Factories Act, 1948: An act enacted by the Government of India to provide for the safety, health, and welfare of workers in factories.
Directorate General Factory Advice Service Labour Institutes (DGFASLI): An organization that provides advice and training related to factory safety and health. It also published a report that is mentioned in the policy.
Maharashtra: A state in India with key industrial activities where factory inspections are discussed.
Tamil Nadu: A state in India with key industrial activities where factory inspections are discussed.
Gujarat: A state in India with key industrial activities where factory inspections are discussed.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was raised.
SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI: A Member of Parliament (MP) who raised the unstarred question about factory inspections.
SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE: The Minister of State for Labour and Employment who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2416
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
POOR INSPECTION OF HAZARDOUS FACTORIES
2416. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)whether the Government is aware that the inspection rates of
hazardous and general factories in key industrial States like
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are significantly low as
reported by the Directorate General Factory Advice Service &
Labour Institutes report, 2021;
(b)if so, the details thereof along with the inspection rates for
hazardous and general factories during the last ten years, State/UT
and year-wise;
(c)whether the Government has conducted any assessments to
identify the reasons for the low inspection rates and gaps in
inspection practices by State Governments, if so, the details
thereof;
(d)whether the Government has any plans to issue guidelines, provide
financial assistance, or offer capacity-building support to enhance
inspection infrastructure at the State level; and
(e)if so, the details thereof including any proposed timelines for its
implementation?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (e): The Government has enacted the Factories Act, 1948
which provides for safety, health and welfare of workers working in
the factories registered under the Act. The Factories Act, 1948 and
rules framed thereunder are enforced by the respective State
Governments through the Chief Inspectors of Factories (CIFs) /
Directorates of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) in their respective
sphere including the state of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Details of State/UT-wise total number of registered factories
inspected, including hazardous factories, registered under the
Factories Act, 1948 during the last ten years (2014-2023) are at
Annexure.
Cond..2/-:: 2 ::
The decrease in inspections as reported in Directorate
General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) report
may have been due to restrictions prevailing in the country on
account of COVID pandemic.
DGFASLI organizes specialized training programmes for
the Inspector of Factories appointed by the State Governments under
the Factories Act, 1948. The basic course for Factory Inspectors is
designed for fresh recruits with the objective of imparting technical
knowledge and skills in the field of safety and health.
* *****Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 2416 for 04.08.2025.
State/UT-wise details of no. of registered factories inspected in the last 10 years (2014-2023)
Sl. State/UT 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Andaman &
31 31 15 26 12 12 # 19 20 1
1 Nicobar Island
2 Andhra Pradesh 4607 4708 4348 1857 1878 1462 1758 2696 1611 2982
Arunachal
* * * * # # # # # #
3 Pradesh
4 Assam 1610 2103 1059 1197 672 515 3529 1777 1207 1240
5 Bihar 1059 1289 # 5 77 96 37 10 147 103
6 Chandigarh 19 1 7 13 # # # # # #
7 Chhattisgarh 1311 1385 1661 1004 590 733 513 692 724 1288
8 DD & DNH 160 140 141 136 180 195 195 # # #
9 Delhi 1105 1036 1001 208 553 684 405 526 738 699
10 Goa 161 66 105 70 63 74 67 160 84 147
11 Gujarat 13499 14056 7483 4868 8907 16930 14390 8877 17722 19319
12 Haryana 2742 347 1630 460 990 1362 393 978 1617 2044
Himachal
1201 1165 1211 1101 1373 1293 1030 999 # #
13 Pradesh
Jammu and
1295 1166 1382 1140 643 536 481 645 739 802
14 Kashmir
15 Jharkhand 2630 2544 1920 1190 1047 808 512 379 397 584
16 Karnataka 9160 8395 8140 7538 11305 8421 6417 5630 7299 7065
17 Kerala 13656 12615 12936 12663 13213 14905 6110 5122 3995 5346
18 Lakshadweep * * * * * * * * * *
Madhya
3024 2249 1812 954 713 1662 323 796 1437 1038
19 Pradesh
20 Maharashtra 14352 11333 6311 3175 4911 3190 4598 3158 5086 4745
21 Manipur 162 185 279 270 209 217 235 191 92 53
22 Meghalaya 17 19 42 74 64 140 50 51 30 90
23 Mizoram * # 1 1 1 1 1 1 # 3
24 Nagaland 210 263 883 759 84 62 4 16 24 56
25 Odisha 2824 3189 1113 1113 1138 921 992 959 1085 1023
26 Puducherry 1167 1082 942 1056 1012 994 893 479 426 357
27 Punjab 2599 2141 2051 3298 2637 1999 1364 # 2759 1998
28 Rajasthan 3194 2819 5730 3943 8794 1268 3841 2443 4020 1829
29 Sikkim * * * * * * * * * *
30 Tamil Nadu 27634 29781 30668 26749 10762 21487 12448 8163 9552 9784
31 Telangana 3849 2529 3229 3229 2950 5917 4139 1735 5529 4623
32 Tripura 1124 907 1109 1191 1206 1449 807 489 501 389
33 Uttar Pradesh 1087 1421 1416 2140 1857 220 433 # # #
34 Uttarakhand 107 141 80 363 424 218 98 134 94 66
35 West Bengal 3356 2044 2844 # 2385 # # # # #
Total 118952 111150 101549 81791 80650 87771 66063 47125 66935 67674
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