CHAPTER-3

MANUAL - 2
(Powers and duties of officers and employees)
Designation

Labour Commissioner, Punjab

Powers

Administrative

Labour Commissioner Punjab is the supervisory

head of the department and all the staff at the head
office and at district level works under his
supervision and control.

Financial

The financial powers of Labour Commissioner are

defined in Punjab Financial Rules Volume-1
(Chapter-19).However, powers of drawing and
disbursing officer have been delegated to deputy
controller(F&A) at the Headquarter for the Labour
Wing and to Additional Director of Factories for the
Factory Wing.
i)
Apart from this the Labour Commissioner
has to perform various functions under
various labour laws. He is inspector for the
State of Punjab under various labour laws.
Apart from this Labour Commissioner
Punjab is the registrar of trade unions under
the Trade Unions Act, 1926.
ii)
Certification of standing orders under the
Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act,
1946.

Others

Duties

iii)

Fixation/ Revision of minimum wages under

Minimum Wages Act, 1948.

iv)

Grants permission for layoff/ retrenchment

of workers in industrial establishments
employing hundred or more workers.

v)

Grants permission for closure of industrial

establishments employing hundred or more
workers.

vi)

Appellate authority under the Payment of

Gratuity Act 1972.

The duty of Labour Commissioner is to exercise his powers in a lawful

manner

Designation

Additional Labour Commissioner, Punjab

Powers

Administrative

He supervises the work of the officers and inspectors

of the department under the overall control and the
supervision of the Labour Commissioner Punjab. All
the work of officers of the head quarters is routed
through him.

Financial

There is separate post of Deputy Controller Finance

and Accounts to look after the financial matters
Apart from this he performs certain independent
functions such as: Additional registrar of trade unions for the State
of Punjab under the Trade Unions Act, 1926.
Certifying officer under the Industrial
Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.
Appellate authority under the Payment of
Gratuity Act, 1972.
Additional Welfare Commissioner under the
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965.
Inspector for the State of Punjab under various
labour laws.

Others

Duties

The duty of Additional Labour Commissioner is to exercise his powers in

a lawful manner

Designation

Deputy Labour Commissioner, Punjab

Powers

Administrative

The Deputy Labour Commissioner works under

the supervision control of Labour Commissioner
Punjab. All his work is routed through
Additional Labour Commissioner.

There is separate post of Deputy Controller Finance

and Accounts to look after the financial matters
Apart from this he also performs following
Others
functions:Certifying officer under the Industrial Employment
(Standing Orders) Act, 1946.
Inspector for the State of Punjab under various
labour laws.
He is also Appellate Authority under the Payment of
Gratuity Act, 1972
The duty of Deputy Labour Commissioner is to exercise his powers in a
Financial

Duties

lawful manner
Designation

Assistant Labour Commissioner, Punjab (H.Q.)

Powers

Administrative

Financial
Others

He works under overall supervision and control of

Labour Commissioner Punjab. He looks after the
functioning of general branch and establishment
branch.
There is separate post of Deputy Controller Finance
and Accounts to look after the financial matters
He also overseas the work relating to following
Acts: Workmens Compensation Act, 1923;
Trade Unions Act, 1926;
Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act,
1946;
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947;
Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961;
Payment of Bonus Act, 1965;
Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,
1970;
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Conditions of
Service & Misc. Provisions) Act, 1979;
Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act,
1986;
Building and Other Construction Workers Act,
1996;
Building and Other Construction Workers Cess
Act, 1996
Payment of Wages Act, 1936;
Minimum Wages Act, 1948;
Working Journalists Fixation of Pay Act, 1955;
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961;
Apprenticeship Act, 1961;
Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976;
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976;
Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of
Service) Act, 1976;
Labour Laws (Exemption from furnishing
Returns and Maintaining of Registers by
Establishment) Act, 1988.
Legal Work
Other Miscellaneous Work.

Duties

The duty of Assistant Labour Commissioner is to exercise his powers in

a lawful manner

Designation

Deputy Controller Finance and Accounts

Powers

Administrative

He is in-charge of the Accounts branch

Financial

*
*

Others

Duties

Deputy Controller/ Chief Accounts Officer for the

Labour Welfare Board;
Drawing and Disbursing Officer;

* Control of the staff vehicles of the department, their

(maintenance of vehicles) administrative control of
the drivers;

Accounts Work of the Labour Commissioners Office;

* Liaison with the Audit Parties;
* Budget and Planning;
* Proposals regarding cutting down of wasteful expenditure;
* Such other work that may be assigned by the Labour Commissioner through
a special or a general order;
*
Proposals regarding mobilisation of additional resources (in
coordination with the departmental officer dealing with the relevant statute);
*
Local purchases (subject to Financial Rules), contingency, and control
of store/inventory;

Designation

Statistical Officer

Powers

Administrative
Financial

Duties

He is in-charge of statistical branch

There is separate post of Deputy Controller Finance
and Accounts to look after the financial matters

Others
The Statistical Officers heads Statistical Branch of the department whose
basic function is to maintain labour statistics. The work of this branch is
being supervised by the Labour Commissioner through Additional
Labour Commissioner. The function of this branch is : Maintenance of labour statistics;
Preparation of Annual Administration Report of the department;
Preparation of Annual Statistics required by the Director Labour
Bureau, Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India under the following acts:
(i) Factories Act, 1948
(ii) Payment of Wages Act, 1936
(iii) Minimum Wages Act, 1948

(iv)
(v)

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

Industrial Employment(Standing Orders) Act, 1946
Preparation of monthly report on Industrial Disputes.
Preparation and submission of States views on the implementation
of rectified Conventions/recommendations.
Preparation and Submission of States view in
(i) Indian Labour Conference
(ii) Labour Ministers Conference
(iii)Standing Labour Committee
(iv) Regional Labour Ministers Conference
(v) Other Conferences and Seminars
Holding meeting of State Labour Advisory Board a highest
tripartite forum in the State
Publication of following booklets:
(i) Pocket book on labour statistics
(ii) Pocket book on fixation/revision of Minimum wages in the State
(iii)Pocket book on notifications issued by the Govt.
(iv) Publication of Citizen Charter
Priority Fixation/revision of Minimum Wages
Issuance of half yearly revision in Minimum Wages
Collection of primary labour statistics
Preparation of data relating to review meetings
Preparation of monthly statistics based on the monthly labour news

Designation

Tehsildar (Recovery)

Powers

Administrative
Financial
Others

Duties

He supervises the work of staff under his control

No financial powers
Assistant Collector First Grade under Punjab Land
Revenue Act 1887
The work of Tehsildar (Recovery) is supervised by the Labour
Commissioner through Additional Labour Commissioner. He is to
perform the following functions :

Assist the departmental officers who are assistant collector Gr.-I in

effecting recovery under the land Revenue Act
Preparation of Monthly data regarding the recovery cases
Monitoring of complicated recovery cases

Designation

Assistant Labour Commissioners

Powers

Administrative

He is head of office at the District level. In districts,

where more than one circle exists, the senior most

Assistant Labour Commissioner acts as Nodal
Officer to deal with the district administration and
coordinate with the Head Office on behalf of all the
officers.
Financial
Others

He is the Drawing and Disbursing Officer

He is also Conciliation Officer under the provisions
of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Maintaining
industrial peace being the main function of the
department, he tries to bring industrial harmony
through tri-partite agreements between the
employers and the employees.
He performs quasi-judicial functions under various
labour legislations. As such:He is Commissioner under the Workmen's
Compensation Act, 1923 and decides claims
regarding
death/permanent
and
temporary
disablements of workers in an accident arising out of
and during the course of employment.
He is Authority under Payment of Wages Act,
1936, Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Equal
Remunerations Act, 1976 to decide claims regarding
non-payment of wages, payment of less wages than
fixed by the government under the Minimum Wages
Act, 1948 and unequal wages for equal work without
discrimination of sex.
He is Controlling Authority under the Payment of
Gratuity Act, 1976 to decide claims of employees
regarding payment of gratuity arising out of death,
retirement, superannuation and resignation from
employment after rendering five or more years of
service. However, in the case of death, the condition
of five years does not apply.
He is Registering and Licensing Officer to issue
Registration Certificates to the Principal Employers
and Licenses to the Contractors under the provisions
of the following Acts:Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
Motor Transport Workers Act,1961;
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1981;
Building and Other Constructions Workers
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service) Act, 1996.
He is responsible for implementation of

Awards/Orders of the Labour Courts and Industrial

Tribunal and for recovery of any amount due as
arrears of land revenue, he performs the duties of an
Assistant Collector Grade-I under the Punjab land
Revenue Act, 1887 for the following Act:Industrial Disputes Act, 1947;
Payment of Gratuity Act, 1976
Payment of Bonus Act, 1965
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976;
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965;
Punjab Industrial Housing Act, 1956
The Working Journalists and other Newspaper
Employees
(Conditions
of
services)
and
Miscellaneous Provisions act, 1955.
He is competent authority under the provisions of
Punjab Industrial Housing Act, 1956
He is Inspector under the following Act:Punjab Shops & Commercial Establishments Act,
1958
Payment of Wages Act, 1936;
Minimum Wages Act, 1948;
Motor Transport Workers Act,1961;
The Factories Act, 1948;
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965;
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965;
Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,
1970;
The Punjab Industrial Establishments (National and
Festival Holidays, Casual and Sick Leave) Act,
1965;
The Child labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act,
1986;
The Interstate Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of services) Act, 1979;
The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of
Service) Act, 1976;
Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986;
Building and Other Constructions Workers
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service) Act, 1996.
Duties

The duty of Assistant Labour Commissioner is to exercise his powers in

a lawful manner

Designation

Labour-cum-Conciliation Officers

Powers

Administrative
Financial

Others

Supervises the work of employees under his control

Only those Labour-cum-Conciliation Officers
exercise the powers of Drawing and Disbursing
officer where no Assistant Labour Commissioner is
posted.
He is also Conciliation Officer under the provisions
of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Maintaining
industrial peace being the main function of the
department, he tries to bring industrial harmony
through tri-partite agreements between the
employers and the employees.
He performs quasi-judicial functions under various
labour legislations. As such:He is Commissioner under the Workmen's
Compensation Act, 1923 and decides claims
regarding
death/permanent
and
temporary
disablements of workers in an accident arising out of
and during the course of employment.
He is Authority under Payment of Wages Act,
1936, Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Equal
Remunerations Act, 1976 to decide claims regarding
non-payment of wages, payment of less wages than
fixed by the government under the Minimum Wages
Act, 1948 and unequal wages for equal work without
discrimination of sex.
He is Controlling Authority under the Payment of
Gratuity Act, 1976 to decide claims of employees
regarding payment of gratuity arising out of death,
retirement, superannuation and resignation from
employment after rendering five or more years of
service. However, in the case of death, the condition
of five years does not apply.
He is Registering and Licensing Officer to issue
Registration Certificates to the Principal Employers
and Licenses to the Contractors under the provisions
of the following Acts:Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
Motor Transport Workers Act,1961;
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1981;
Building and Other Constructions Workers

(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of

Service) Act, 1996.
He is responsible for implementation of
Awards/Orders of the Labour Courts and Industrial
Tribunal and for recovery of any amount due as
arrears of land revenue, he performs the duties of an
Assistant Collector Grade-I under the Punjab land
Revenue Act, 1887 for the following Act:Industrial Disputes Act, 1947;
Payment of Gratuity Act, 1976
Payment of Bonus Act, 1965
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976;
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965;
Punjab Industrial Housing Act, 1956
The Working Journalists and other Newspaper
Employees
(Conditions
of
services)
and
Miscellaneous Provisions act, 1955.
He is competent authority under the provisions of
Punjab Industrial Housing Act, 1956
He is Inspector under the following Act:Punjab Shops & Commercial Establishments Act,
1958
Payment of Wages Act, 1936;
Minimum Wages Act, 1948;
Motor Transport Workers Act,1961;
The Factories Act, 1948;
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965;
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965;
Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,
1970;
The Punjab Industrial Establishments (National and
Festival Holidays, Casual and Sick Leave) Act,
1965;
The Child labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act,
1986;
The Interstate Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of services) Act, 1979;
The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of
Service) Act, 1976;
Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986;
Building and Other Constructions Workers
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service) Act, 1996.

The duty of Labour-cum-Conciliation Officer is to exercise

his powers in a lawful manner

Duties

Designation

Labour Inspector Grade-I/Labour Inspector Grade-II

Powers

Administrative
Financial
Others

He exercises control over subordinates in offices

where posted away from the district Head Quarter
He has no financial power
He acts as Inspector under the following Act:Punjab Shops & Commercial Establishments Act,
1958
Payment of Wages Act, 1936;
Minimum Wages Act, 1948;
Motor Transport Workers Act,1961;
The Factories Act, 1948;
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965;
Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965;
Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act,
1970;
The Punjab Industrial Establishments (National and
Festival Holidays, Casual and Sick Leave) Act,
1965;
The Child labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act,
1986;
The Interstate Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of services) Act, 1979;
The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of
Service) Act, 1976;
Building and Other Constructions Workers
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service) Act, 1996.
The powers vested in the inspector under the above
Acts are:
An Inspector appointed under provisions of
various labour laws generally exercises following
powers:(a)
enter, at all reasonable hours, with such
assistants (if any), being persons in the service of the
or any local or other public authority, as he thinks
fit, any premises or place where employees are

employed, for the purpose of examination any

register, record of wages or notices required to be
kept or exhibited by or under this Act or rules made
thereunder, and require the production thereof for
inspection;
b)
examine any person whom he finds in any
such premises or place and who, he has reasonable
cause to believe, is an employee employed therein or
an employee to who work is given out therein.
c)
examine with respect to any matter relevant
to any of the purposes aforesaid, the employer, his
agent or servant or any other persons found in charge
of the establishment or any premises connected
therewith or any persons whom the Inspector has
reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an
employee in the establishment;
d)
make copies of, or take extracts from any
book, register or other document maintained in
relation to the establishment;
e)
exercise such other powers as may be
prescribed.
Every Inspector shall be deemed to be a
public servant within the meaning of the Indian
Penal Code (45 of 1860). [The details of powers in
tabulation form under various labour laws is at
Annexure E]
Duties

He registers the shops and commercial establishments of his area and

issues the registration certificates.
He attends to the day-to-day complaints of the workers within his
respective jurisdiction and tries to resolve the conflict between the
employers and the workers;

Designation

Additional Director of Factories (HQ)

Powers

Administrative

He supervises the work of the officers the factory wing

under the overall control and the supervision of the

Director of Factories, Punjab. All the work of officers of

the head quarters is routed through him.

Duties

Financial

Drawing and Disbursing Officer for Headquarters

staff and work pertaining to stores and stationery.

Others

i)
All policy matters regarding registration,
inspection, prosecution etc. and matters connected
with establishment work, general administration.
ii)
Performance review, appraisal of the
functioning of field staff of his zone.
iii)
Issue of exemption order under various
provisions of Factories Act falling in the
districts of his zone by Director of Factories.
iv)
Supervision of working of Industrial Hygiene
Laboratory and monitoring of work
environment as per Section 41F of the
Factories Act, 1948.
v)
Approval of factory building plans for the
factories by a committee at head quarters.
vi)
Surprise checks and inspections of the offices
of the field staff in the districts of his zone.
vii) Scrutiny of Inspection Reports of the field
staff and issue of orders thereon in the
districts of his zone.
viii) Declaration of competent persons under the
Factories Act for applications received for
whole of the state.
ix)
Punjab Welfare Officers (Recruitment &
Conditions of Service) Rules, 1952
Welfare Officers/ Safety Officers in his
zone.

x)
xi)
xii)
xiii)
xiv)
xv)
xvi)

Complaints from unions/ workers regarding the nonimplementation of Factories Act falling in the districts of his zone.
Work connected with Punjab Industrial Safety Council.
Miscellaneous Complaints.
Any other work allotted by the higher authority.
Correspondence with Competent State Authority cum Site
Appraisal Committee regarding hazardous industries pertaining to
cases of Site Approval Committee.
Work relating to enforcement of provisions of new rules under E.P.
Act any field staff and providing guidance to the managements and
identification of MAH installation in his zone.
Work relating to enforcement of rules regarding Major Accident
Hazards installations (MAH Rules) and providing guidance to the

field staff and the managements of his zone.

Designation

Joint Director of Factories (HQ)

Powers

Administrative

He supervises the work of the officers the factory wing

under the overall control and the supervision of the
Director of Factories, Punjab.

Financial
Others

No financial powers
Scrutiny of Inspection Reports in his zone.
i)
Performance, review and appraisal of work
of field staff in his zone.
ii)
Surprise check of Inspections in his zone.
iii)
Exemption orders under the various
provisions of the Factories Act & Rules for
the factories falling in his zone.

Duties

iv)

Complaints from the unions/ workers regarding the nonimplementation of Factories Act, 1948 falling in his zone.
v) Scrutiny of fatal accident reports/ leakages of gases, fire and
explosion.
vi) Chief Inspector of Factories conferences.
vii) Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Assembly Questions and work relating to
Parliamentary Committees.
viii) Correspondence with Director General Factory Advice Service,
Bombay and Regional Labour Institute, Kanpur and sending
nominations of Officers for training through Additional Director of
Factories/ Director of Factories.
ix) Work relating to brick-kilns.
x) ILO conventions and correspondence with ESI.
xi) Amusement Parks and All Court cases work.
xii) Recruitment of Welfare Officers/ Safety Officers by the factories
falling in his zone.
xiii) Correspondence with DGFASLI.
xiv) Issue of exemption orders under various provisions of Factories
Act & Rules of the factories falling in his zone by Director of
Factories.
xv) Approval of factory building plans of the factories being member
of the committed (HQ).
xvi) Work relating to enforcement of rules regarding Major Accident
Hazardous installations (MAH Rules) and providing guidance to
the field staff and the managements in his zone.
xvii) Surprise checks and inspections of the offices of the field staff in
the districts of his zone.
xviii) Amendments in the Factories Act/ Rules.

xix) Punjab State Safety Award Schemes, Kirt Shiromani and Kirt Veer
Awards Scheme & celebrations of National Safety Day.
xx) Work relating to Prime Minister Shram Award Scheme.
xxi) Supervision regarding the abolition of Child Labour.
xxii) Any other work allotted by the higher authorites.
Designation

Deputy Director of Factories/ Assistant Director of Factories (In

Field)

Powers

Administrative

Duties

He supervises the work of employees under his

control
He is Drawing and Disbursing Officer
Financial
He exercises powers of Inspector under the
Others
Factories Act 1948
Registration of new factories under the Factories Act, 1948. Issuing of
new licenses and their renewal every year.
ii) Periodical inspections of the factories falling in their jurisdiction
for violations found during the inspections, the defaulting
managements are prosecuted and the convictions are made by the
courts and fine is realized.
iii) License fee is charged from the managements as prescribed in the
schedule in Punjab Factory Rules, 1952.
iv) The building plans of new/ existing factories are processed at their
level and recommend to the Director of Factories, Punjab for
approval.
v) The enquiry of fatal/ serious accidents are investigated and
enquiries reports sent to the Head office for scrutiny. Defaulting
managements are prosecuted.
vi) Complaints from unions/ workers regarding non-implementations
of labour laws and Factories Rules, 1952 are processed.
vii) Enquiry of fine/ explosion/ gas leakage incidents are carried out.
viii) To sent the applications for Punjab State Safety Awards Scheme/
Kirt Shiromani/ Kirt Veer Award and Prime Minister Shram
Award Scheme.
ix) Enforcement of provisions of new rules under E.P. Act such as
manufacturer, storage, handling of hazardous chemicals.
x) Enforcement of new rules regarding Major Accidents Hazards
Control in Chemical Industries;
xi) Organizing Workshop, training programmes for industrial workers.

Designation

Assistant Director of Factories (Chemicals)

Powers

Administrative

He supervises the work of employees under his

control

Financial
Others

Duties

No financial powers
He exercises powers of Inspector under the Factories
Act 1948
Applications received to set up new hazardous factories in the State are
processed by them after visiting the site for submission of comments to
the CSA-cum-SAC Committee. In addition to this they visit all MAH
units and Hazardous units to conduct inspection under the Factories Act,
1948 particularly from the chemical angle. They are also looking after
the preparation/ approval of onsite/ off site emergency plans and safety
audit of MAH units in the State.

Designation

Assistant Director of Factories (Medical)

Powers

Administrative

Duties

He supervises the work of employees under his

control
No financial powers
Financial
He exercises powers of Inspector under the Factories
Others
Act 1948
Three PCMS Doctors are on deputation from Health Department. They
visit the factories where occupational diseases could cause to the workers
and medical examination of the workers is done where ever needed. They
advise blood samples and X-ray to the managements to ensure that the
workers are free from occupational diseases. They are also exercising
duties of Certifying Surgeon as per section 10 of the Factories Act, 1948.