Friday, July 18, 2014: The state government has included ESDM industry to the list of first schedule of Industrial Disputes Act 1947 which open up gates for ESDM units to be declared as public utility services.
In a statement by an official, “If an industry is declared public utility services, neither management nor labourers can go on strike and lock outs”. It is a preventive measure to avoid regular strikes in this particular industry. However, it is management’s discretion to apply the government for declaration of public utility services. This declaration will ensure proper work culture without disturbance. In a recent notification, Labour & Employees State Insurance Department has added ESDM as the 37th industry to the first schedule of the act. The state government is empowered under the sub section (1) of section 40 of the act to do so.
The industry list of the first schedule includes IT, ITes, Biotechnology, agro based and marine based processing units, electronics and communication, export oriented units, SEZ’s and many others.
This inclusion falls under newly announced Information and Technology Policy, 2014 where it is written that state government may declare IT/ITes/ESDM as public utility service under the provision of IDA act, 1947.
Government is betting big on ESDM and this makes the inclusion paramount to attract investments. The state IT department already finalised strategic roadmap for the development of ESDM sector in Odisha to grab opportunities given by sunrise sector.
This sector is targeted to acquire revenue of $3126.55 million by 2024, as per estimate of an investment of $1220.68 million pushed in this sector in three phases. The sector is expected to generate 60,000 jobs in next ten years.
