Beedi and explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Chapter IX Parts III, IV and VI of the Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026 (rules 101 to 114 and 150 to 167) deal with three smaller categories of establishment: audio-visual productions, beedi and cigar manufacture, and plantations. Each has its own licence, agreement or welfare list.
An audio-visual worker's agreement is in Form-33 and its terms cannot be lower than the worker's entitlement in the Code. A beedi or cigar premises needs a licence applied for in Form-34, with a fee of 500 to 2000 rupees by employee count (rule 104), and not more than five percent of beedis or cigars from a worker may ordinarily be rejected. A plantation employer provides housing without rent, a creche where thirty or more women work, and a school where workers' children aged 6 to 12 exceed 25.
The rule set
This article covers the Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, as notified by notification no. 962/XXXVI-03-2026-1903305 dated 27 August 2026. Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette. Rule 1(4) says the rules "shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette". Contractors are dealt with in our article on contract labour licences and migrant workers.
The Central companions are explained in rules 105 and 106 on audio-visual workers, rules 33 to 35 on beedi and cigar premises and rules 42 and 43 on plantations. The Uttar Pradesh numbers differ. These categories are small in number but heavily inspected; a labour law compliance review is the usual starting point.
Part III: audio-visual workers (rules 101 and 102)
The agreement between an audio-visual worker and the producer of the audio-visual programme or the contractor, if any, is in Form-33. It contains the name of the programme, the names and addresses of the producer, contractor (if any) and worker, the nature and duration of employment, and the terms and conditions (wages and other benefits, health and working conditions, safety, hours of work, welfare facilities and the dispute resolution process), which shall not be less than the worker's entitlement under the Code. If the workers are covered by a provident fund enactment, a copy of the agreement goes to the Central Government provident fund authorities. Rule 102 provides that dispute resolution follows the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the rules made by the State Government under it.
Part IV: beedi and cigar premises (rules 103 to 114)
Application (rule 103). A licence to use a place as an industrial premises is applied for in Form-34 electronically on the official portal, with plans of the site and surroundings, the manufacturing areas, and the elevation, cross-sections, natural lighting, ventilation, means of escape in case of fire, plant and machinery, and passages; and with the employer's affirmative declaration in Form-35. The Authority considers whether the site is proposed to be altered or the premises were closed in the preceding twelve months to prejudice labour.
Fee (rule 104).
| Number of employees proposed to be employed on any day during the financial year | Fee (Rs.) |
|---|---|
| Does not exceed twenty | 500 |
| More than twenty but not exceeding fifty | 1000 |
| More than fifty but not exceeding hundred | 1500 |
| More than hundred | 2000 |
A duplicate licence costs rupees one hundred, and fees are not refunded if the Authority refuses to grant or renew (rule 104(2) and (3)).
Licence conditions (rule 106). The manufacturing process is carried on only in the part specified; the maximum employees on any date do not exceed the licensed number; power-driven machinery not specified is not used; the premises are not extended and no structural alteration is made without the Authority's written permission; the licence is not transferable; and the fee is non-refundable except as the rules provide. The licence certificate is in Form-36, issued electronically within the Uttar Pradesh Janhit Guarantee Adhiniyam, 2011 period, failing which it is deemed granted and auto-generated (rule 107). Renewal is applied for on the portal with the fee and the Form-35 declaration and is similarly deemed renewed if not decided in time (rule 111).
Welfare measures (rule 108). The licensing authority checks that the occupier has made provision for cleanliness (daily removal of refuse, weekly washing of work-room floors, periodic washing, painting or whitewashing recorded in the register in Form-37), ventilation, latrines and urinals (one seat separately for every twenty male employees, with separate accommodation for women), washing facilities with water supply at least 27.3 litres per day per person (a lesser quantity not below 4.5 litres only with an Inspector-cum-Facilitator's written certificate), a creche where thirty or more workers are employed, first-aid boxes (not fewer than one for every one hundred fifty employees) and a canteen where not less than two hundred and fifty employees are ordinarily employed. Food in the canteen is served on a no-profit, no-loss basis.
Raw material and rejection (rules 109 and 110). A dispute over issue of raw materials, rejection of beedis or cigars, or payment for rejected products is referred in writing to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator, with an appeal within thirty days to the Licensing Authority. No employer or contractor ordinarily rejects more than five percent of the beedis or cigars received from a worker, including a home-worker, and rejected product on grounds other than the worker's wilful negligence is paid at one-half of the usual rate.
Appeal (rule 112). The Labour Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh is the appellate authority; the appeal fee is rupees one thousand only, non-refundable; the appeal is made electronically within thirty days with the order, a memorandum of grounds and a treasury challan.
Outside work (rules 113 and 114). Wetting and cutting of beedi or tobacco leaves outside the premises needs permission on Form-38; the Labour Commissioner forwards the application with comments within seven days, and the State Government may decide it within thirty days; permission is valid for the specified period on stated conditions. The employer keeps electronic records in Form-39 and a home-worker register in Form-40.
Part VI: plantations (rules 150 to 167)
- Housing (rules 150 to 154). The employer provides each worker and family residing in the plantation housing without rent as near as possible to the place of work; it may be built over several years but houses for at least twenty-five per cent of resident workers are built every year. Houses have separate rooms for women and at least a floor area of ten square metres per person excluding kitchen and toilets. Within six months of publication of the rules, each plantation employer submits a housing scheme to the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator, who forwards it to the State Government within thirty days; the State decides within three months. A progress report in Form-52 goes to the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of Plantations by July 31st every year. No rent is charged; one house is allotted per family; retention after death, transfer or termination is up to two months, after retirement or resignation up to one month, and during leave for the leave period. An Inspector-cum-Facilitator may order vacation within one month if a house is not vacated, with eviction through an officer not below sub-divisional magistrate.
- Water, latrines, drains (rules 155 to 158). Drinking water is available at all sites during working hours; latrines are on the scale of one for every five acres under cultivation or part thereof, with at least one for each sex, and urinals one for every two acres or part thereof.
- Creche (rule 159). Where thirty or more women workers are or were employed on any day of the preceding twelve months, a creche for children below six years is provided with not less than 15 square feet of floor area per child, a woman creche-in-charge, milk for each child, and two feeding intervals for mothers. Employers may jointly provide a creche.
- School (rule 160). If workers' children between 6 and 12 exceed 25, the employer provides a primary school within one mile of the quarters, with one teacher for every forty children; no fees are charged from the children.
- Health, recreation and chemicals (rules 161 to 167). Medical facilities as notified by the State; recreation centres and playgrounds; limits on adolescent workers handling hazardous chemicals; training of workers in handling chemicals and insecticides; medical examination arranged without charge to the worker and records kept.
A worked example
A tea and bamboo estate in Uttar Pradesh with workers' families in estate housing prepares its housing scheme for the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator, builds houses for one quarter of resident workers each year, and files the Form-52 progress report before July 31. With forty women workers it runs a creche under rule 159, with a woman creche-in-charge and milk for each child.
Common lapses
- Using a beedi premises beyond the licensed number of employees.
- Rejecting more than five percent of beedis from a worker, or paying nothing for rejected product.
- A plantation employer charging rent for housing, contrary to rule 153.
- Missing the 31 July Form-52 housing progress report.
- No creche despite thirty or more women workers in the preceding twelve months.
Need help with beedi, audio-visual or plantation compliance?
If your business falls into one of these three categories in Uttar Pradesh, our labour law compliance team can map the applicable parts of Chapter IX to your premises and record sets. The categories carry their own licences, forms and welfare lists, so general checklists often miss them.
Key takeaways
- Audio-visual agreements in Form-33, on terms not below the Code entitlements.
- Beedi and cigar licence: Form-34 application, Form-35 declaration, Form-36 licence; fee 500 to 2000 rupees; duplicate rupees one hundred.
- No more than five percent rejection of beedis or cigars from a worker; rejected product paid at one-half rate.
- Plantation housing without rent; creche at thirty or more women; school above 25 children aged 6 to 12.
- Housing progress report in Form-52 by July 31 each year.
Read next
- Uttar Pradesh OSH Rules, 2026: contract labour licence and inter-State migrant workers
- Uttar Pradesh OSH Rules, 2026: factories, plans, licence, welfare and hazardous processes
- Central OSH rules 33 to 35: beedi and cigar premises
- Central OSH rules 42 and 43: plantation cleanliness and dust
Disclaimer: Based on the State or Union territory rules named above, as notified under the Labour Codes and consulted on 4 October 2026. Later amendments, State notifications, fees and forms should be checked in the State Gazette and on the State labour department website. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.