The Government of Odisha appointed the Director of Industries as an ex-officio-Labour Commissioner in the State in the year 1950. With the Growth of Labour problems and enactment of various Labour Legislations, the Government in their Resolution dated 13th January, 1953. Created the separate office of the Labour Commissioner-cum-Chief Inspector of Factories from 1st April 1953. Subsequently the office of the Chief Inspector of Factories was separated from the office of the Labour Commissioner. The State Government in Labour and Employment Department continued to function as the “Appropriate Government” during the period under report in respect of all Industries other than those for which the Union Government is the “Appropriate Government”.

The State Labour Directorate otherwise known as office of the Labour Commissioner, Odisha discharges the following important functions.

1. Maintaining industrial peace and harmony including settlement of industrial dispute, implementation of settlements as well as awards passed by industrial tribunals and labour courts matters relating to strike, lockout, layoff, retrenchment, closure and prosecution under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.


2. Filing of claim cases and prosecutions under Minimum Wages Act and Payment of Wages Act.


3. Registration and Licensing under Contract labour (R & A ) Act, Interstate Migrant Workers ( RE & CS) Act, Odisha stops and  Commercial Establishment Act, Motor Transport Workers Act and Beedi And Cigar Workers (CE) Act.


4. Registration of Trade Unions under Trade Unions Act and verification of membership of Trade Unions for recognition through secret ballot as per the verification of membership and recognition of Trade Union Rules 1994.


5. Ensuring payment of notified minimum wages to workers particularly engaged in the unorganized sector under Minimum Wages Act.


6. Ensuring social security benefits to the workers both in organized and unorganized sectors under (1) Maternity Benefits Act. (2) Payment Of gratuity Act (3) Workmen’s Compensation Act to both male and female workers.


7. Providing protection to labour with special emphasis to eliminate and prevention of child labour system under child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.


8. Ensuring payment of equal remuneration to female workers both in organized and unorganized sector at par with workers doing same and similar work under Equal Remuneration Act.


9. Preventing illegal and unauthorized drafting and exploitation of migrant labour through unscrupulous middle men to other states under Inter State Migrant Workmen (RE & CS) Act.


10. Prohibition and regulation of Contract Labour system in different industries in the state under contarct labour( Regulation and Abolition ) Act.


11. Regulation of employment of construction workers in the state under Building and Other Construction Workers (RE & CS) Act.


12. Providing health insurance facility to BPL families under Rastriya Swasthiya Bima Yojana.


13. The State Labour Directorate Compiles Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers of Cuttack, Berhampur and Sambalpur centres. Different industries of the state are utilizing these industries for fixation / revision of wages of their employees.