Lok Sabha Question No. 48 (STARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: Minimum Wages
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA 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)

(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.

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.

## Annexure referred in reply to part (b) &(c) of Lok Sabha Starred question No. 48 for 06.02.2017 Category wise Range of Minimum Rates of Wages in All States as on 01.10.2016 (Provisional)

| S. No.   |                   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories     | Categories     |
|----------|-------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|----------------|----------------|
|          | State/UT          | Unskilled    | Unskilled    | Semi Skilled | Semi Skilled | Skilled      | Skilled      | Highly Skilled | Highly Skilled |
|          |                   | Min.         | Max.         | Min.         | Max.         | Min.         | Max.         | Min.           | Max.           |
|          | Central Sphere    | 214.00       | 374.00       | 219.00       | 414.00       | 238.00       | 456.00       | 259.00         | 495.00         |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 145.88       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | 895.83         |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 150.00       | 170.00       | 160.00       | 180.00       | 170.00       | 190.00       | -              | -              |
| 3        | Assam             | 240.00       | -            | 280.00       | -            | 350.00       | -            | 450.00         | -              |
| 4        | Bihar             | 181.00       | 197.00       | 188.00       | 206.00       | 232.00       | 251.00       | 282.00         | 308.00         |
| 5        | Chhatisgarh       | 163.00       | 252.00       | 210.00       | 257.00       | 218.00       | 265.00       | 272.00         | 275.00         |
| 6        | Goa               | 215.00       | 307.00       | 217.00       | 307.00       | 223.00       | 307.00       | 233.00         | 307.00         |
| 7        | Gujarat           | 150.00       | 276.00       | 276.00       | 284.00       | 284.00       | 293.00       | -              | -              |
| 8        | Haryana           | 292.31       | 292.31       | 306.92       | 322.27       | 338.38       | 355.30       | 373.07         | 373.07         |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 180.00       | 185.55       | 188.47       | 197.00       | 216.52       | 224.17       | 237.12         | 284.50         |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir*  | 150.00       | 150.00       | 175.00       | 175.00       | 225.00       | 225.00       | -              | -              |
| 11       | Jharkhand         | 221.61       | 237.44       | 232.16       | 253.27       | 306.03       | 327.14       | 353.52         | 369.90         |
| 12       | Karnataka         | 182.39       | 289.74       | 188.39       | 304.74       | 210.86       | 329.74       | 213.06         | 332.96         |
| 13       | Kerala            | 275.46       | 548.70       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | -              |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh    | 193.00       | 263.00       | 257.00       | 349.00       | 303.00       | 398.00       | 296.00         | 399.00         |
| 15       | Maharashtra       | 180.00       | 315.49       |              |              |              |              | -              | -              |
| 16       | Meghalaya         | 170.00       | 170.00       | 181.00       | 181.00       | 191.00       | 191.00       | 212.00         | 212.00         |
| 17       | Manipur           | 122.10       | 122.10       | 129.97       | 129.97       | 132.60       | 132.60       | -              | -              |
| 18       | Mizoram           | 270.00       | 270.00       | 300.00       | 300.00       | 370.00       | 370.00       | 460.00         | 460.00         |
| 19       | Nagaland          | 115.00       | 115.00       | 125.00       | 125.00       | 135.00       | 135.00       | 145.00         | 145.00         |
| 20       | Odisha            | 200.00       | 200.00       | 220.00       | 220.00       | 240.00       | 240.00       | 260.00         | 260.00         |
| 21       | Punjab            | 267.13       | 277.13       | 297.13       | 297.13       | 331.63       | 331.63       | 371.33         | 371.33         |
| 22       | Rajasthan         | 197.00       | 197.00       | 207.00       | 207.00       | 217.00       | 217.00       | 267.00         | 267.00         |
| 23       | Sikkim            | 220.00       | 220.00       | 242.00       | 242.00       | 275.00       | 275.00       | 319.00         | 319.00         |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu        | 146.00       | 455.60       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | -              |
| 25       | Tripura           | 142.46       | 346.15       | 162.81       | 375.00       | 184.96       | 403.85       | 280.00         | 405.42         |
| 26       | Uttarakhand       | 200.00       | 272.12       | 231.54       | 291.54       | 235.31       | 310.96       | 249.23         | 356.35         |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh     | 161.00       | 211.67       | 233.33       | 300.71       | 261.33       | 354.67       | 299.17         | 418.83         |
| 28       | West Bengal       | 211.00       | 278.00       | 232.00       | 306.00       | 255.00       | 337.00       | 370.00         | -              |
| 29       | A.& N. Islands    | 282.00       | 312.00       | 294.00       | 330.00       | 307.00       | 381.00       | 328.00         | 392.00         |
| 30       | Chandigarh        | 316.15       | 316.15       | 322.00       | 326.00       | 333.46       | 342.11       | 358.00         | 358.00         |
| 31       | D &NHaveli        | 268.20       | 268.20       | 276.20       | 276.20       | 284.20       | 284.20       | -              | -              |
| 32       | Daman &Diu        | 268.20       | 268.20       | 276.20       | 276.20       | 284.20       | 284.20       | -              | -              |
| 33       | Delhi             | 331.00       | 368.00       | 366.00       | 407.00       | 402.00       | 447.00       | -              | -              |
| 34       | Lakshadweep       | 255.20       | 255.20       | 280.50       | 280.20       | 305.20       | 305.20       | 335.20         | 335.20         |
| 35       | Puducherry        | 55.00        | 255.00       |              |              |              |              |                | -              |
| 36       | Telangana         | 69.27        | 363.26       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              |                |