Boilers Bill, 2024 Introduced in Lok Sabha to Replace Centuries-Old Law, Enhance Safety and Ease of Doing Business.
New Delhi:
The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, today introduced the Boilers Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha, marking a significant step towards overhauling the country’s boiler safety and regulation framework. The new Bill aims to replace the century-old Boilers Act, 1923 and brings about several critical changes to improve safety, efficiency, and ease of doing business for industry stakeholders.
The Bill, which had already been passed by the Rajya Sabha on 4th December 2024, will be sent for the President’s assent once it has been cleared by the Lok Sabha. The re-enacted legislation is designed to meet the contemporary needs of various stakeholders, including industries, workers dealing with boilers, and the bodies responsible for enforcement.
Key Features of the Boilers Bill, 2024
The new Bill is modern and comprehensive, incorporating contemporary drafting practices to ensure clarity and better understanding of the law. It consolidates provisions from the previous Boilers Act into six chapters, simplifying the structure and enhancing accessibility. The key features of the Bill include:
- Decriminalisation of Certain Offences: In a major shift aimed at improving the ease of doing business (EoDB), the Bill decriminalises three out of the seven offences under the previous Act. While serious offences that may lead to loss of life or property will retain criminal penalties, non-criminal offences will attract fiscal penalties instead. This change is expected to reduce the burden on the judicial system by replacing court proceedings with administrative penalties for less severe violations.
- Enhanced Safety Provisions: The Bill prioritises the safety of workers handling boilers by mandating that repairs and maintenance be carried out only by qualified and competent personnel. The focus on safety has been strengthened to protect those working in potentially hazardous conditions within the boiler industry.
- Ease of Doing Business (EoDB): The Bill aims to streamline regulatory processes for businesses, especially in the MSME sector, by simplifying compliance requirements and reducing the number of criminal penalties. This move aligns with the Government’s broader goal of improving the business environment in India.
- Obsolete Provisions Removed: The Bill has eliminated outdated and redundant provisions from the 1923 Act to make the law more relevant in today’s context. Several enabling provisions have been added, along with new definitions and clarifications, to ensure greater transparency and understanding.
- Comprehensive Governance: The powers and functions of the Central Government, State Governments, and the Central Boilers Board have been detailed in the new Bill, ensuring clarity regarding the roles of various authorities and avoiding confusion in its implementation.
Background and Rationale for the New Legislation
The existing Boilers Act, 1923 was last amended comprehensively in 2007 with the introduction of independent third-party inspections and certifications. However, a more thorough review of the law revealed the need for further reform to align with the current industrial landscape and safety standards. The new Bill incorporates provisions from the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which also emphasizes decriminalisation and streamlining regulatory processes.
The Bill represents the Government’s ongoing effort to modernise pre-constitutional laws to meet the evolving needs of the country. By incorporating new definitions, amending outdated ones, and removing redundant provisions, the Boilers Bill, 2024 aims to ensure a safer, more efficient, and more business-friendly regulatory environment for all involved in the boiler sector.
The Boilers Bill, 2024 is poised to be a significant reform in India’s industrial safety and regulation landscape, offering a more modern, streamlined, and accessible framework that better serves both workers and businesses in the sector.
