Vidhi Codex

The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966

The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966

Labour196645 sections

This law regulates health, welfare, and employment conditions within India's beedi and cigar manufacturing industry. It applies to factory owners, contractors, and workers—including home-based laborers—while exempting purely self-employed family units. The Act requires industrial premises to be licensed and mandates essential amenities such as proper ventilation, drinking water, sanitation, creches, and first aid. It bans child labor, limits working hours, restricts night work for women, and guarantees overtime pay and annual leave. Crucially, it extends statutory rights to home workers and sets rules for wage disputes and dismissals, protecting a vulnerable labor force from health hazards and exploitation.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. 2. Definitions.
  3. 3. Industrial premises to be licensed.
  4. 4. Licences.
  5. 5. Appeals.
  6. 6. Inspectors.
  7. 7. Powers of Inspectors.
  8. 7A. Inspector not to disclose the source of any complaint, etc.
  9. 8. Cleanliness.
  10. 9. Ventilation.
  11. 10. Overcrowding.
  12. 11. Drinking water.
  13. 12. Latrines and urinals.
  14. 13. Washing facilities.
  15. 14. Creches.
  16. 15. First aid.
  17. 16. Canteens.
  18. 17. Working hours.
  19. 18. Wages for overtime work.
  20. 19. Interval for rest.
  21. 20. Spread over.
  22. 21. Weekly holidays.
  23. 22. Notice of periods of work.
  24. 23. Hours of work to correspond with notice under section 22.
  25. 24. Prohibition of employment of children.
  26. 25. Prohibition of employment of women or young persons during certain hours.
  27. 26. Annual leave with wages.
  28. 27. Wages during leave period.
  29. 28. Application of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 to industrial premises.
  30. 29. Special provisions.
  31. 30. Onus as to age.
  32. 31. Notice of dismissal.
  33. 32. Penalty for obstructing Inspector.
  34. 33. General penalty for offence.
  35. 34. Offences by companies.
  36. 35. Indemnity.
  37. 36. Cognizance of offences.
  38. 37. Application of the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
  39. 38. Certain provisions not to apply to industrial premises.
  40. 39. Application of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
  41. 40. Effect of laws and agreements inconsistent with this Act.
  42. 41. Power to exempt.
  43. 42. Powers of Central Government to give directions.
  44. 43. Act not to apply to self-employed persons in private dwelling houses.
  45. 44. Power to make rules.

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