The Andhra Pradesh government has amended the state’s labour laws to increase the maximum working hours for private sector employees, in what it said was with the aim of boosting investment and industry.

The decision, to increase the working hours from nine to ten hours per day, was approved by the TDP-led NDA government during a recent cabinet meeting. They will be incorporated through changes to the Andhra Pradesh Factories Act. Earlier, the limit was eight hours per day, which was extended to nine hours nearly a decade ago.

The new regulation will apply to all private firms and factories operating in the state.

Information and Public Relations Minister K Parthasarathy announced the amendment, saying the changes were part of the government’s broader “Ease of Doing Business” policy.

He elaborated that under Section 54 of the Act, the working hours have been raised from nine to ten hours a day.

Additionally, the prescribed break period under Section 55 has been changed. “There used to be a one-hour rest for five hours (work); now that has been changed to six hours,” he stated.

The Act currently also allows a maximum of nine working hours per day, with a mandatory 30-minute break after five hours of continuous work.

The overtime cap has also been increased, from the existing 75 hours to 144 hours.

“The relaxation of rules will help attract more investments,” he said.

Labour unions, however, have strongly criticised the move, warning that it could lead to excessive working hours. They fear that some employers may compel workers to stay beyond the revised schedule, pushing daily shifts beyond 12 hours in practice.

Opposition parties and users on social media also voiced concern, calling the policy anti-worker and demanding that it be rolled back.

With inputs from agencies