The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill with provisions for regulation of boilers, protection of life and property from explosions and uniformity in registration.
The Boiler Bill, 2024, which seeks to repeal the century-old Boiler Act, 1923, was passed by a voice vote in the Upper House. Apart from the need to repair boilers by skilled and competent persons, the bill also provides for ensuring the safety of persons working inside boilers.
According to the commerce ministry, the bill will benefit boiler users, including those in the MSME sector. = It includes provisions relating to criminalization. Out of the seven offences, criminal penalties were maintained in four major ones involving loss of life and property to ensure the safety of boilers and personnel.