Reform, don't trample

Workers can't be completely at the mercy of employers

State governments in India seem to have discovered a new way to breathe life into economic activity — radical labour law changes. It began with the Madhya Pradesh government’s announcement earlier this month of a light-touch labour law regime for new units setting up shop in the next 1,000 days. Through an executive order, routine labour inspections have been replaced with third-party certification for industry and processes eased for obtaining a factory licence. Along with these measures, most of the provisions under the Factories Act, 1948, and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, will not apply to these firms. This also