Lok Sabha takes up bill to ensure safety of boilers

New Delhi [India], March 25 (ANI): Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up for consideration and passing the Boilers Bill, 2024 which emphasises Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and seeks to benefit boiler users, including those in the MSME sector.
The Bill, which had earlier been passed in Rajya Sabha, was moved for passing by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The Boilers Act, 1923 was comprehensively amended in 2007 by the Indian Boilers (Amendment) Act, 2007 wherein inspection and certification by independent third party inspecting authorities was introduced.
However, on further examination of the existing Act, a need was felt for review of the Act and also to incorporate the decriminalised provisions in consonance with the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.
The existing Act has, accordingly, been reviewed wherein obsolete provisions have been omitted and certain substantive enabling provisions have been made for the rules and regulations which were not earlier provided.
Certain new definitions have also been incorporated and few existing definitions have been amended so as to give more clarity to the provisions of the Bill.
Officials said that the bill has been drafted as per modern drafting practices to give more clarity to the provisions.
Similar provisions, which are at different places in the Boilers Act,1923, have been grouped together in six chapters for easier reading and understanding of the Act. All the functions and powers of the Central Government, State Governments and Central Boilers Board have been enumerated in detail to avoid any confusion, they said.
For Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), the Bill will benefit boiler users including those in MSME sector as provisions related to the decriminalisation have been incorporated in the bill.
Out of the seven offences, to ensure safety of boilers and personnel dealing with boilers, in four major offences which may result in loss of life and property, criminal penalties are retained. For other offences, provision has been made for fiscal penalty.
For all non-criminal offences 'fine' has been converted into 'penalty' to be levied through executive mechanism instead of courts as existed earlier.The bill seeks to enhance safety as specific provisions have been made in the Bill to ensure the safety of persons working inside a boiler and provides that repair of boiler is undertaken by qualified and competent persons.
The Lok Sabha earlier in the day passed Finance Bill, 2025, after reply to the debate by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (ANI)