The Constitution of India enjoins that safety, welfare and health of workers employed in mines are the concern of the Central Government (Entry 55 - Union List; Article 246). This objective of the Constitution is regulated by an Act of Parliament, the Mines Act 1952. Under this Act, the Central Government has framed rules and regulations. These codes of legislation are administered by the Directorate-General of Mines Safety (DGMS), under the Ministry of Labour of the Government of India. Apart from administering the Mines Act and its sub-ordinate legislation, DGMS also administers a few other allied codes of legislation, including the Indian Electricity Act.
 

The first Mines Act to regulate Safety, Welfare and Health of person employed in mines was enacted in the year 1901. This was amended in 1910 and again in 1914. By the year 1922, it wasfelt necessary to re-enact the Mines Act to take into account Conventions relating to regulations of hours of employment of children and weekly day of rest to all workers etc. passed by the International Labour Conference at Geneva and Washington. The new Act came to be known as Mines Act, 1923. This Act was also amended in 1925, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1937, 1940 and in 1946 in light of changing labour standards. Inspite of these amendments, it was being felt that the Act was deficient in many respect, including the status of workshops and welfare measures. The Mines Act, 1952 was enacted to overcome these deficiencies. This was also amended in 1959 and recently in 1983.

It applies to mines of all minerals including oil wells within the country (i.e. all on – shore oil mines and off – shore oil mines within territorial waters of the country).

Safety, Health & Welfare of persons employed in mines is a Central subject, and it is regulated under Mines Act, 1952 and various rules and regulations made thereunder.