Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Legislative Assembly today passed the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing sweeping reforms aimed at promoting ease of doing business, boosting productivity, and increasing opportunities for women in the workforce.

The new legislation amends the decades-old Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, bringing its provisions in line with modern working conditions and recommendations from the NITI Aayog. Minister Labour & ESI Shri Ganeshram Singkhuntia presented the Bill.

A key highlight of the amendment is the move to exempt shops and commercial establishments employing up to 20 persons from the Act’s provisions, a measure designed to significantly reduce the regulatory compliance burden on smaller enterprises.

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