MINIMUM
WAGES LOK SABHA QUESTION & ANSWER
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.48
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2017
STARRED QUESTION NO.48
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2017
MINIMUM WAGES
48.
SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:
PROF.
RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND
EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a)whether
the Government proposes to amend the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and formulate a
uniform wage policy for the entire country and if so, the details and salient
features thereof;
(b)whether
minimum wages fixed under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 varies amongst States;
(c)if
so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise along with the reasons for differential
wages especially on gender basis and also between urban and rural areas;
(d)whether
any monitoring mechanism exists to ensure that all the workers are paid minimum
wages and not subjected to any form of exploitation; and
(e)if
so, the details thereof along with other labour welfare measures being
implemented by the Government for betterment of labour force in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT
REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.
48 FOR 06.02.2017 BY SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL AND PROF.RAVINDRA
VISHWANATH GAIKWAD REGARDING MINIMUM WAGES.
(a): The proposed amendments to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948,
inter-alia, includes applicability of minimum wages to all employments, changes
in the definition of “Appropriate Government”, fixation/review/revision of
minimum rates of wages by the State Government, introduction of National
Minimum Wage by the Central Government, enhancement of penalty, etc.
As a step towards a uniform wage structure, the concept of
National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) was introduced by the Government in
1996 on a voluntary basis. It is revised from time to time taking into account
the increase in the Consumer Price Index Number. NFLMW has been revised to
Rs.160/- per day w. e. f 01.07.2015.
(b) & (c): 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 under their respective jurisdictions. As regards minimum wages in
States, there is disparity due to variations in socio-economic and
agro-climatic conditions, income, prices of essential commodities, paying
capacity, productivity and local conditions. As per the available information,
a statement showing the range of rates of minimum wages in all the States/Union
Territories is at Annexure.
The Act does
not discriminate on the basis of gender and the female workers are entitled to
same wages and other facilities as fixed by the Central Government for the
workers engaged in the scheduled employments. No separate wages are fixed for
urban and rural areas.
(d) & (e): The implementation of the Act is carried out by
the Centre as well as the States in respect of their respective jurisdiction.
In the Central Sphere, the enforcement is secured through the Inspecting
Officers of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) commonly designated as
Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM), the compliance in the State
sphere is ensured through the State Enforcement Machinery. They conduct regular
inspections and in the event of detection of any case of non-payment or
under-payment of minimum wages, they advise the employers to make payment of
the shortfall of wages. In case of non-compliance, penal provisions against the
defaulting employers are invoked.
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