The First Factory Act restricting the working hours of women and children, and authorizing local governments to make necessary rules was adopted during whose time?

The Indian Factories Act, 1881 — the first Factory Act in British India — was enacted during the viceroyalty of Lord Ripon. Contemporary accounts and notes on factory legislation explicitly state that the first Factories Act was passed in 1881 under Lord Ripon’s leadership and that it aimed chiefly at regulating child labour and limiting working hours for vulnerable groups. The Act contained provisions restricting working hours for children and women and empowered local governments to make rules for its implementation, establishing the first centralised factory regulation framework in India [1]. Hence, the Act of 1881 is associated with Lord Ripon’s tenure as Viceroy.

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 27: Survey of British Policies in India > Labour Legislations > p. 534