Mumbai, Dec 20: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday issued a notification on amendment of Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Service Condition) Act, 2017, which means that shops and establishments in the state can stay open round the clock. While the notification includes restaurants and malls, it excludes pubs, bars and discotheques.
The notification also frees 34 lakh out of 35 lakh shops and establishments in the state from Licence Raj. The amendment makes it mandatory to avail a licence for only those shops and establishments which have more than 10 employees.
Maharashtra Labour Minister Sambhaji Nilangekar-Patil said that the new notification is expected to generate more employment as the shops would need people to work in three shifts to keep it running 24×7. He said that the government expects that the move would provide additional employment to 35 lakh people.
The notification comes into effect from today.