Lok Sabha Question No. 4125 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-27
Subject: Minimum Wages of Agricultural Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, BHARATENDRA SINGH, K. KAMARAAJ, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4125 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2017

## MINIMUM WAGES OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS

## 4125. DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

DR. K. KAMARAJ:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether  minimum  wages  of  agricultural  labourers  is  far  less  than  nonagricultural workers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether there is demand for hike in minimum wages of agricultural labourers
- and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government has now substantially hiked the minimum wages for agricultural labourers including those hired on contract basis and if so , the details thereof;
- (d)the details of the minimum wages to be paid to unskilled agricultural workers, semi-skilled  agricultural  workers  and  skilled  agricultural  workers  in  A,B,C category towns; and
- (e)the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  the  interest  of  agricultural
- labourers of the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) to (e): 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  employments under their respective jurisdictions. Presently, there are 45 scheduled employments (including Agriculture) in the Central Sphere  (Annexure-I).

The Central Government has notified the revision of minimum wages for the scheduled employments (including Agriculture) in the Central sphere on 19.01.2017.  The  increase  in  minimum  wages  for  scheduled  employment  under the Central sphere w.e.f. 19.01.2017 is shown at Annexure-II.

The minimum rates of wages fixed by the notification are applicable to employees engaged by contractors also.

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Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  to  (e)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.4125  for 27.03.2017.

## SCHEDULED EMPLOYMENTS FOR WHICH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HAS FIXED MINIMUM WAGES UNDER THE MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948

|   Sl. No. | Name of Employment                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Agriculture                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|         2 | Construction/Maintenance of Roads and Building Operations.                                                                                                                                                                              |
|         3 | Maintenance of buildings                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|         4 | Construction and Maintenance of Runways.                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|         5 | Gypsum mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         6 | Barites mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|         7 | Bauxite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|         8 | Manganese mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|         9 | China Clay mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|        10 | Kyanite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        11 | Copper mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|        12 | Clay mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        13 | Stone mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|        14 | White Clay mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|        15 | Orchire mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        16 | Fire Clay mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        17 | Steatite (Soapstone and Talc) Mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|        18 | Asbestos mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        19 | Chromite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        20 | Quartzite Mines                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        21 | Quartz mines                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|        22 | Silica mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|        23 | Magnesite Mines                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        24 | Graphite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        25 | Felspar mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        26 | Red oxide mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        27 | Laterite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        28 | Dolomite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        29 | Iron Ore mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        30 | Granite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        31 | Wolfram mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        32 | Magnetite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        33 | Rock phosphate mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|        34 | Hematite mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        35 | Marble and Calcite Mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|        36 | Uranium mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|        37 | Mica mines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        38 | Employment in Lignite Mines                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        39 | Employment in Gravel Mines                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|        40 | Employment in the Slate Mines                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|        41 | Employment in laying down of underground electric, wireless, radio, television, telephone, telegraph and overseas communication cables and similar other underground cabling, electric lines water supply lines and sewerage pipe lines |
|        42 | Loading, Unloading in Railways Goods Shed                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|        43 | Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|        44 | Employment in Sweeping and Cleaning                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|        45 | Watch &Ward                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

Annexure  referred  to    in  reply  to  part  (a)  to  (e)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  4125  for 27.03.2017.

Comparison  showing  old  and  Revised  Basic  Minimum  Wages  for  various  Categories  under  the  Scheduled Employment.

(Wages in Rs. per day)

w .e f. 19.01.2017

| Scheduled Employment                              | Category of Workers                                                            | Area A                                                                       | Area A                                                                       | Area B                                                                       | Area B                                                                       | Area C                                                                       | Area C                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Scheduled Employment                              | Category of Workers                                                            | old                                                                          | Revised                                                                      | old                                                                          | Revised                                                                      | old                                                                          | Revised                                                                      |
| Agriculture                                       | Un-skilled                                                                     | 237                                                                          | 333                                                                          | 216                                                                          | 303                                                                          | 214                                                                          | 300                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                       | Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory                                             | 259                                                                          | 364                                                                          | 239                                                                          | 335                                                                          | 219                                                                          | 307                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                       | Skilled/Clerical                                                               | 281                                                                          | 395                                                                          | 259                                                                          | 364                                                                          | 238                                                                          | 334                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                       | Highly-skilled                                                                 | 312                                                                          | 438                                                                          | 289                                                                          | 407                                                                          | 259                                                                          | 364                                                                          |
| Sweeping and Cleaning                             | Un-skilled                                                                     | 374                                                                          | 523                                                                          | 312                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 250                                                                          | 350                                                                          |
| Watch and Ward                                    | Without Arms ( Upgraded to skilled with training)                              | 414                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 353                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 293                                                                          | 494                                                                          |
| Watch and Ward                                    | With Arms( Upgraded to highly skilled for supervision)                         | 456                                                                          | 693                                                                          | 414                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 353                                                                          | 579                                                                          |
| Loading & Unloading                               | Un-skilled                                                                     | 374                                                                          | 523                                                                          | 312                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 250                                                                          | 350                                                                          |
| Construction                                      | Un-skilled                                                                     | 374                                                                          | 523                                                                          | 312                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 250                                                                          | 350                                                                          |
| Construction                                      | Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory                                             | 414                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 353                                                                          | 494                                                                          | 293                                                                          | 410                                                                          |
| Construction                                      | Skilled/Clerical                                                               | 456                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 414                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 353                                                                          | 494                                                                          |
| Construction                                      | Highly-skilled                                                                 | 495                                                                          | 693                                                                          | 456                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 414                                                                          | 579                                                                          |
| Construction                                      |                                                                                |                                                                              | old                                                                          |                                                                              |                                                                              | Revised                                                                      |                                                                              |
| Workers engaged Stone for Breaking Stone Crushing | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: *   | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * | 1.Excavation & removal of over burden with 50 meters lead/1.5 meters lift: * |
| in                                                | (a) Soft Soil                                                                  |                                                                              | 252.00                                                                       | 252.00                                                                       | 252.00                                                                       | 351                                                                          | 351                                                                          |
| Mines                                             | (b) Soft Soil with Rock                                                        |                                                                              | 380.00                                                                       | 380.00                                                                       | 380.00                                                                       | 531                                                                          | 531                                                                          |
| Stone                                             | (c) Rock                                                                       |                                                                              | 503.00                                                                       | 503.00                                                                       | 503.00                                                                       | 703                                                                          | 703                                                                          |
| and                                               | 2. Removal and Staking of rejected stones with 50 metres lead/1.5 metres lift* |                                                                              | 203.00                                                                       | 203.00                                                                       | 203.00                                                                       | 283                                                                          | 283                                                                          |
| and                                               | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **          | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        | 3. Stone breaking or Stone Crushing for the stone size of category **        |
| and                                               | (a) 1.0 inch to 1.5 inches                                                     |                                                                              | 1553.00                                                                      | 1553.00                                                                      | 1553.00                                                                      | 2171                                                                         | 2171                                                                         |
| and                                               | (b) Above 1.5 Inches to 3.0 Inches                                             |                                                                              | 1329.00                                                                      | 1329.00                                                                      | 1329.00                                                                      | 1857                                                                         | 1857                                                                         |
| and                                               | (c) Above 3.0 Inches to 5 Inches                                               |                                                                              | 778.00                                                                       | 778.00                                                                       | 778.00                                                                       | 1088                                                                         | 1088                                                                         |
| and                                               | (d) Above 5.0 Inches                                                           |                                                                              | 639.00                                                                       | 639.00                                                                       | 639.00                                                                       | 893                                                                          | 893                                                                          |
|                                                   |                                                                                |                                                                              | Above Ground                                                                 | Above Ground                                                                 | Above Ground                                                                 | Below Ground                                                                 | Below Ground                                                                 |
| Non - Coal Mines                                  |                                                                                |                                                                              | old                                                                          |                                                                              | Revised                                                                      | old                                                                          | Revised                                                                      |
| Non - Coal Mines                                  | Un-skilled                                                                     |                                                                              | 250                                                                          |                                                                              | 350                                                                          | 312                                                                          | 437                                                                          |
| Non - Coal Mines                                  | Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory                                             |                                                                              | 312                                                                          |                                                                              | 437                                                                          | 374                                                                          | 523                                                                          |
| Non - Coal Mines                                  | Skilled/Clerical                                                               |                                                                              | 374                                                                          |                                                                              | 523                                                                          | 436                                                                          | 610                                                                          |
| Non - Coal Mines                                  | Highly-skilled                                                                 |                                                                              | 436                                                                          |                                                                              | 610                                                                          | 495                                                                          | 683                                                                          |

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