From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 24: In a major relief to employees in the private sector, the Siddaramaiah regime has amended the Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) (Amendment Rules, 2009) to increase the retirement age from 58 to 60 years in the private sector companies in the State.

This decision, coming as part of the promise made by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his budget for the year 2017-18, will benefit thousands of employees in the private sector, who will be retiring this month end.

However, the Congress government’s employee-friendly decision would leave the captains of private shops and establishments and factories worried as they were hoping for more easing of labour regulations.

A decision to amend the Rules was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here on Friday.

For amending the rules, a notification would be issued soon.

Services of 21 lakh labourers are hired by 6950 shops and establishments and 432 factories in Karnataka.

Factories alone hired services of 14 lakh labourers. However, the rules does not apply to the clerical workforce, sources in the government said.

A senior minister in the government said the amendment to the rules would be introduced in a few days to benefit labourers who are retiring end of this month end.

There was a lot of pressure from private managements not to increase the retiring age since they have to pay high salary and other benefits.

The increase in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years in the private sector would be on par with the retirement age of all employees in the State and Central government as well as in the public sector undertakings.