Lok Sabha Q & A – Minimum Wages
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.460
TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2017
MINIMUM WAGES
460. SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT:
SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA:
SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:
SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI:
SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:
SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:
SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a)whether minimum wages fixed for various types of unskilled labourers including those working in farming and non-farming sector under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 vary amongst States;
(b)if so, the details thereof, State/ UT-wise along with the reasons for differential wages;
(c)whether the Government has amended/proposes to amend the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and formulate a uniform wage policy for the entire country and if so, the details and the salient features thereof;
(d)whether the Government has received feedbacks from the States and other stakeholders in this regard and if so, the details thereof along with the followup action taken by the Government thereon; and
(e)the other steps taken/being taken by the Government for welfare and betterment of labourers in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) & (b): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, both Central and State Governments are appropriate Governments to fix, review and revise the minimum wages of the workers employed in the scheduled employment including farming and non-farming sector under their respective jurisdictions.
Minimum wages in States vary due to variations in socioeconomic and agro-climatic conditions, income, prices of essential commodities, paying capacity, productivity and local conditions. A statement showing the Category wise variation in minimum wages in different States/Union Territories as on 01.11.2017 is at Annexure.
(c) & (d): Proposal to amend the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is not being pursued by the Government presently. In the mean time, the Code on Wages has been introduced in Lok Sabha on 10.08.2017 and which, inter-alia, has provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
(e): The labour welfare measures recently initiated for betterment of labour force include minimum pension of Rs.1000/-per month to the pensioners under Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995, portability of provident fund account, National Career Service portal, Employees State Insurance Corporation 2.0(Health Reforms of ESIC), Revision in eligibility and calculation ceiling under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 etc.
Source: LOK SABHA