17th and 18th June, 2025 - Notes on Daily Karnataka Current Affairs

Mohammed Yunus
Jun 18
7 min read

GS - II and GS - III

Karnataka Government plans to amend Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1961 and increase daily working hours to 10.

Proposed Changes:

Increase in Daily Working Hours:
- From 9 hours to 10 hours per day.
- Total per week: 48 hours.
Overtime Limit Changes:
- Maximum total work per day (including overtime): Increased from 10 hours to 12 hours per day.
- Total overtime hours per employee (in 3 consecutive months): Increased from 50 hours to 144 hours.

Sectors Affected:

The Act applies to:
- Shops
- Commercial establishments
- Hotels, pubs, bars, restaurants
- Offices
- IT and ITES industries

Exemptions Proposed:

Shops/commercial establishments with less than 10 employees:
- Proposed to be excluded from the purview of the Act.

Current provisions related to working hours under Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1961:

Daily limit: 9 hours. A rest interval of at least 30 minutes is required after 5 hours of continuous work.
Spread-over: The total period an employee is at work (including rest intervals) should not exceed 12 hours per day.
Weekly limit: 48 hours.
Work beyond 9 hours/day or 48 hours/week requires overtime pay at twice the normal wage rate.
Employees are entitled to at least one weekly holiday (a full day) on a rotational basis (meaning - not necessarily on the same day).
Establishments with 10 or more employees can operate 24 × 7 for three years (as per the September 27, 2024, notification).
Employees are entitled to annual leave with wages, casual leave, and sick leave as per Chapter IV of the Act.
Maternity benefits are provided in alignment with the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, including 84 days of paid leave for eligible female employees.

Critical analysis of the move:

Pros of Increasing Daily Working Hours to 10

Productivity & Economic Gains:
- Higher Output: Longer hours may boost task completion, especially in fast-paced sectors like IT/ITeS.
- Global Competitiveness: Aligns with work cultures in countries like Japan and China; may attract more investments.
Financial & Career Benefits:
- Overtime Pay: Additional income for those working beyond regular hours.
- Career Growth: More time for skill-building and project completion.
Operational Flexibility:
- Global Coordination: Helps serve international clients across time zones.
- Cost Efficiency: Extended hours may reduce the need for extra hires.

Cons of Increasing Daily Working Hours to 10

Diminishing Returns on Productivity:
- Fatigue & Burnout: Productivity often drops beyond 50-55 hours/week.
- Quality Matters: Experts argue that efficiency depends more on skills and motivation than time spent.
Health Risks:
- Physical & Mental Strain: Long hours linked to stress and cardiovascular problems; e.g., Japan's "Karoshi."
- Absenteeism: Fatigue may increase sick leave, reducing overall output.
Work-Life Imbalance:
- Personal Time Loss: Long hours plus commute strain family life and rest.
- Gender Impact: Women face added pressure due to caregiving roles.
- Social Fallout: Less time for relationships affects overall wellbeing.
Talent & Retention Issues:
- Resistance from Workers: Unions like KITU oppose the move, citing health and rights concerns.
- Brain Drain Risk: Workers may shift to places with better work-life balance.
Legal & Ethical Concerns:
- Global Norms Violation: ILO recommends a 40-hour week; 10hour days exceed this.
- Risk of Exploitation: Without enforcement, workers could be overburdened.

Impact Assessment

Productivity: Gains may be short-lived; knowledge-based sectors need focus, not just time.
Well-being: Longer hours harm happiness and health; contrast with high-productivity nations with shorter workweeks.
Work-Life Balance: Already strained in Karnataka's IT sector, risks worsening.

Way Forward

Focus on Efficiency, Not Hours:
- Track outcomes, not hours. Use automation, AI, and hybrid models to raise productivity.
Safeguard Employee Well-Being:
- Enforce breaks and rest days.
- Promote mental health support and family-friendly policies.
- Clarify weekly cap - avoid exceeding ILO's 48-hour recommendation.
Strengthen Labour Protections:
- Ensure voluntary, fairly compensated overtime.
- Set up grievance mechanisms and protect vulnerable groups, especially women.
Pilot Before Implementing:
- Trial the 10-hour model in select firms; adjust based on results.
Promote Flexibility:
- Learn from global models like France's 35-hour week.
- Encourage telework, flex-time, and employee-driven scheduling.
- Empower workers, as seen in Scandinavian models.
Engage All Stakeholders:
- Include unions, employees, industry in policymaking.
- Align with India's new Labour Codes for smoother implementation.

Conclusion

Raising work hours to 10 may bring short-term gains, but risks long-term harm to health, productivity, and morale. With IT sector struggles showing that longer hours ≠ better outcomes, Karnataka must adopt a balanced, flexible, and worker-centric approach rooted in outcomes, not effort alone.

GS - III

Committees created to oversee management and scientific disposal of plastic water bottles.

Each committee, headed by the DC, comprises the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat, District Superintendent of Police, Deputy Director of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, and Pollution Control Board officers.
Committee will Meet and review once in three months

Functions of the committee

Monitor waste management
Give special attention to the scientific disposal of water bottles
Compile data on the quantity of PET bottles produced, used and sold within the district.
Ensure Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by mineral water manufacturing companies
Create awareness among the people about the ill effects of plastic waste

What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) of plastic waste in India?

EPR was introduced for plastic waste under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
It holds producers, importers, and brand owners (PIBOs) accountable for managing the entire lifecycle of their plastic products, including post-consumer waste collection, recycling, and disposal.

EPR applies to pre-consumer and post-consumer plastic packaging waste, including:

Category I: Rigid plastic packaging.
Category II: Flexible plastic packaging (single or multilayer, e.g., carry bags, pouches).
Category III: Multilayered plastic packaging (with at least one layer of plastic and one of another material).
Category IV: Plastic sheets or carry bags made of compostable/ biodegradable plastics.

Order Issued to remove concrete around trees in Karnataka:

As per the NGT order, there should be a one-meter circumference of soil around the trees.
Karnataka govt has given instructions to remove concrete within a one-meter radius around trees planted by local bodies along roadsides.

Country's first electric safari bus:

Karnataka flagged off India's first electric safari bus at the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP).
Currently, diesel vehicles are used for wildlife safaris. In order to reduce carbon emissions from diesel vehicles, an electric vehicle is being introduced for the first time.

18th June, 2025

GS IV

From Gauribidanur to IIT-Kharagpur: A Journey Powered by Will, Dedication, and Self-Belief

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will." - Vince Lombardi

In a quiet corner of Chikkaballapur district, a remarkable story is unfolding - one that proves that dreams don't need a fancy postcode to take flight. Sanketh Raj, a humble student from Government PU College, Gauribidanur, has done what many consider a distant dream - he has secured a coveted seat at IITKharagpur, one of the most prestigious engineering institutes in India.

What makes Sanketh's journey extraordinary is not just the destination, but the road he walked. Born to government school teachers, he completed his entire education - from childhood to pre-university - in government schools. His achievement silences the notion that excellence is exclusive to elite institutions.

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius

Fuelled by self-belief, family support, and the guidance of dedicated teachers, Sanketh took advantage of the government's online coaching programmes for JEE and NEET, available before and after college hours. With laser-sharp focus and resilience, he transformed what many might see as limitations into stepping stones.

"Believe you can, and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

His success is more than personal - it's a symbol of hope for thousands studying in government institutions across Karnataka.

Inspired by stories like Sanketh's, the government is now working towards expanding these coaching initiatives to reach one lakh students, lighting a spark of ambition across the state.

"Where there is a will, there is a way." - English Proverb

Sanketh's journey reminds us that opportunity belongs to those who refuse to give up, who trust the process, and who dream beyond their circumstances. His life now stands as a beacon of possibility - not just for students of Karnataka, but for every child who dares to dream with discipline.

GS - I and GS - III

Single Window System is being developed by Karnataka to approve new business projects in just 100 days!

At present, industrial projects in the state require approvals from 33 departments, covering 177 types of services.
The project developers currently require to register and seek approvals from various departments individually. This makes the system very tedious, cumbersome, time-consuming and inefficient.
The average approval time in Karnataka is 300 days to a year compared with 60-70 days in neighbouring states.
Also, investors had to share project information with multiple departments or agencies, leading to "information redundancy".
The new system will be ready in 6 months. It will integrate all the departments in one system. Even the land allotment process will be under the single-window system. It will increase the Ease of Doing Business.

Previous Attempts - Affidavit-Based Clearance (ABC) system

In 2020-21, the government launched the affidavit-based clearance (ABC) system under which industries can start operations while getting a three-year window to obtain various permits. This failed to take off as banks are unwilling to provide loans based on ABC.

GS - II

VJNL (Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited) bags award for Yettinahole aqueduct

It has won the ISDA Infracon National Award (IINA) for using "cutting-edge technology" in the Yettinahole project.
Awarded for innovative tech in the Yettinahole aqueduct
The award is presented by the Infrastructure Skill Development Academy (ISDA).

Infrastructure Skill Development Academy (ISDA)

It is a private Section 8 not-for-profit company established in 2013 under the Companies Act, headquartered in New Delhi.
Specializes in skill development, vocational education, CSR implementation, and training programs in the infrastructure and construction sectors

Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited

VJNL is a special-purpose vehicle established by the Government of Karnataka to execute major water management and irrigation projects
Established in 2016.
Projects - Upper Bhadra Project, Yettinahole Comprehensive Drinking Water Project, etc.
Beyond these core projects, VJNL also undertakes other irrigation projects entrusted to it by the Government of Karnataka. The company is also involved in the rehabilitation and resettlement of people affected by these projects.
Funding: VJNL is authorized to borrow or raise resources through bonds, term loans, and other securities to fund its projects.
Revenue Generation: VJNL is empowered to levy and collect water charges from various entities including individual farmers, farmer groups, Water Users Co-op. Societies (WUCS), Town Panchayats, City Municipalities, and industries.

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