Micron Technology's Sanand facility is expected to play a key role in the company's global manufacturing network.Aiming to strengthen semiconductor manufacturing while safeguarding labour rights, the Gujarat government has granted permission to Micron Semiconductor Technology India Private Limited’s Sanand facility to operate 12-hour work shifts, a government release said on Wednesday. The facility is the first industrial entity to have received such an approval by the state government while retaining the statutory weekly working limit of 48 hours for an employee, it added.“The approval has been granted under the provisions of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020, which came into force across the country on November 21, 2025. The Code allows state governments to exempt factories from certain provisions, subject to safeguards, while ensuring that employees do not work beyond the prescribed weekly limit,” the release stated.The approval has been granted with a condition that adult workers may work up to 12 hours a day only if their total working hours do not exceed 48 hours in a week with the remaining days treated as paid leave. Also, only those workers who voluntarily provide written consent will be eligible to work on 12-hour shifts.The release stated, “The government has also stipulated that the total spread of work, including rest intervals, must not exceed 12 hours in a day. Rest breaks must comply with the provisions of the OSH Code, 2020, and the Gujarat Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2025. Companies will be required to maintain separate records of employees working under the approved arrangement and comply with any additional conditions imposed by the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator for Factories. Any violation of the prescribed conditions will lead to cancellation of the approval and invite legal action against the establishment.”Quoting Minister of Labour, Skill Development and Employment, Kunvarji Bavaliya, the release stated, “The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code focuses on promoting Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Compliance. While the Code prescribes a maximum of 48 working hours per week, it also empowers the appropriate government to grant exemptions in the case of factories. Gujarat has exercised this provision keeping in view the larger public interest, economic growth and employment generation in the state.”The approval has come when Gujarat seeks to consolidate its leadership in India’s fast-growing semiconductor sector.“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat has emerged as the country’s leading destination for semiconductor investments, with projects spanning fabrication, assembly, packaging, testing and advanced electronics manufacturing,” the release said.Story continues below this adMicron Technology’s Sanand facility is expected to play a key role in the company’s global manufacturing network. The first phase of the project will include more than 500,000 square feet of cleanroom space, including one of the world’s largest single-floor semiconductor assembly and test cleanrooms. The facility is expected to assemble and test tens of millions of semiconductor chips in 2026, with production capacity projected to scale to hundreds of millions of chips annually from 2027,” it added.Explaining the reasons why the approval has been granted to Micron semiconductor plant in Sanand, the release stated, “Semiconductor manufacturing differs from conventional factory operations because production processes run continuously in highly controlled cleanroom environments. Chip assembly and testing involve sophisticated automated equipment operating around the clock, making uninterrupted production critical for efficiency and product quality.”Industry experts note that 12-hour shifts are a globally accepted operational model across semiconductor manufacturing facilities, the statement said. The longer shifts reduce the number of shift changes, minimise cleanroom entries, improve equipment utilisation and enable continuous production in facilities involving multi-billion-dollar investments. At the same time, the overall weekly working limit remains unchanged, with employees working fewer days each week,” it added. Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:ahmedabad