Lok Sabha Question No. 446 (STARRED), answered on 2022-04-04
Subject: Wages of Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dulal Chandra Goswami, Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 446 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2022

## WAGES OF LABOURERS

†*446. SHRI DULAL CHAND GOSWAMI: SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

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

(a)whether the Government has taken any decision to increase the wages of labourers including agricultural labourers in view of the rising prices across the country particularly in Bihar; (b)if so, the details thereof; (c)whether  there  is  any  mechanism  to  ensure  payment  of  minimum  wages fixed by the Government; and (d)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. ***                                                   ******

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 446 FOR ANSWER ON 04.04.2022 REGARDING WAGES OF LABOURERS BY SHRI DULAL CHAND GOSWAMI AND SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD.

- (a) & (b): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Central Government  and  the  State  Governments,  as  appropriate  Government,  fix, periodically review and revise the  minimum  wages  of  the  employees employed  in  the  Scheduled  employments  including  agriculture  under  their respective  jurisdiction.  Accordingly,  the  minimum  rates  of  wages  in  the scheduled  employments  in  the  Central  sphere  were  last  revised  by  the Central Government in 2017. Further, in order to take care of the rising prices, the Central Government revises the Variable Dearness Allowance (V.D.A) on basic rates of minimum wages every six months effective from 1st April and 1st October of every year on the basis of Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers.  V.D.A.  was  last  revised  w.e.f.  01.10.2021.  A  statement  showing increase in the rates of wages on account of increasing V.D.A payable to the employees  engaged  in  the  Scheduled  employments  including  agriculture  in the  Central  Sphere  is  at  Annexure-I.  The  details  of  periodic  revision  of minimum rates of wages in the Scheduled employments in the State sphere are not centrally maintained.
- (c) & (d): Enforcement  of  the  provisions  of  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948, including  payment  of  the  minimum  wages,  is  done  by  the  authorities statutorily appointed for the purpose by the appropriate Governments, i.e. the Central Government and the State Governments, in their respective jurisdiction.  The  enforcement  in  the  Central  sphere  is  secured  through  the inspecting  officers  of  the  Chief  Labour  Commissioner  (Central)  commonly designated as Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) and in the State Sphere through the State Enforcement Machinery. The designated inspecting officers conduct regular inspections and in the event of detection of any case of  non-payment  or  under-payment  of  minimum  wages,  they  direct  the employers  to  make  payment  of  the  shortfall  of  wages.  In  case  of  noncompliance,  penal  provisions  prescribed  under  Section  22  of  the  Act  are taken  recourse  to.  The  details  in  regard  to  enforcement  of  the  minimum wages in the Scheduled employments in the Central Sphere are furnished at Annexure-II. Details of enforcement of the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, in the State sphere are not centrally maintained.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 446 FOR ANSWER ON 04.04.2022 REGARDING WAGES OF LABOURERS BY SHRI DULAL CHAND GOSWAMI AND SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD.

Statement showing increased rates of minimum wages on account of revision of VDA from 19.01.2017 to 01.10.2021

| Scheduled                                                            | Category of Workers                                                           | Area A                                                                       | Area A                                                                       | Area B                                                                       | Area B                                                                       | Area C                                                                       | Area C                                                                       |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Employment                                                           |                                                                               | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 01.10.202 1                                                                  | 19.01.201 7                                                                  | 01.10.202 1                                                                  | 19.01.201 7                                                                  | 01.10.2021                                                                   |
| Agriculture                                                          | Unskilled                                                                     | 333                                                                          | 417                                                                          | 303                                                                          | 380                                                                          | 300                                                                          | 377                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                                          | Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory                                            | 364                                                                          | 455                                                                          | 335                                                                          | 419                                                                          | 307                                                                          | 384                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                                          | Skilled/Clerical                                                              | 395                                                                          | 495                                                                          | 364                                                                          | 455                                                                          | 334                                                                          | 418                                                                          |
| Agriculture                                                          | Highly-skilled                                                                | 438                                                                          | 547                                                                          | 407                                                                          | 509                                                                          | 364                                                                          | 455                                                                          |
| Sweeping and Cleaning                                                | Unskilled                                                                     | 523                                                                          | 654                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 546                                                                          | 350                                                                          | 437                                                                          |
| Watch and Ward                                                       | Without Arms ( Upgraded to skilled with training)                             | 637                                                                          | 795                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 724                                                                          | 494                                                                          | 617                                                                          |
| Watch and Ward                                                       | With Arms( Upgraded to highly skilled for supervision)                        | 693                                                                          | 864                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 795                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 724                                                                          |
| Loading & Unloading                                                  | Unskilled                                                                     | 523                                                                          | 654                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 546                                                                          | 350                                                                          | 437                                                                          |
| Construction                                                         | Unskilled                                                                     | 523                                                                          | 654                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 546                                                                          | 350                                                                          | 437                                                                          |
| Construction                                                         | Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory                                            | 579                                                                          | 724                                                                          | 494                                                                          | 617                                                                          | 410                                                                          | 512                                                                          |
| Construction                                                         | Skilled/Clerical                                                              | 637                                                                          | 795                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 724                                                                          | 494                                                                          | 617                                                                          |
| Construction                                                         | Highly-skilled                                                                | 693                                                                          | 864                                                                          | 637                                                                          | 795                                                                          | 579                                                                          | 724                                                                          |
| Construction                                                         |                                                                               |                                                                              | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 01.10.2021                                                                   | 01.10.2021                                                                   | 01.10.2021                                                                   |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and 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: * |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (a) Soft Soil                                                                 | 351                                                                          | 351                                                                          | 351                                                                          | 351                                                                          | 441                                                                          | 441                                                                          |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (b) Soft Soil with Rock                                                       | 531                                                                          | 531                                                                          | 531                                                                          | 531                                                                          | 663                                                                          | 663                                                                          |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (c) Rock                                                                      | 703                                                                          | 703                                                                          | 703                                                                          | 703                                                                          | 878                                                                          | 878                                                                          |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | 2. Removal and Staking of rejected stones with 50 metres lead/1.5metres lift* | 283                                                                          | 283                                                                          | 283                                                                          | 283                                                                          | 354                                                                          | 354                                                                          |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | 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 **        |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (a) 1.0 inch to 1.5 inches                                                    | 2171                                                                         | 2171                                                                         | 2171                                                                         | 2171                                                                         | 2701                                                                         | 2701                                                                         |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (b) Above 1.5 Inches to 3.0 Inches                                            | 1857                                                                         | 1857                                                                         | 1857                                                                         | 1857                                                                         | 2310                                                                         | 2310                                                                         |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (c) Above 3.0 Inches to 5 Inches                                              | 1088                                                                         | 1088                                                                         | 1088                                                                         | 1088                                                                         | 1356                                                                         | 1356                                                                         |
| Workers engaged in Stone Mines for Stone Breaking and Stone Crushing | (d) Above 5.0 Inches                                                          | 893                                                                          | 893                                                                          | 893                                                                          | 893                                                                          | 1114                                                                         | 1114                                                                         |
| Non - Coal Mines                                                     |                                                                               | Above Ground Below                                                           | Above Ground Below                                                           | Above Ground Below                                                           | Above Ground Below                                                           | Ground                                                                       | Ground                                                                       |
|                                                                      |                                                                               | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 01.10.2021                                                                   | 01.10.2021                                                                   | 19.01.2017                                                                   | 01.10.2 021                                                                  |
|                                                                      | Unskilled                                                                     | 350                                                                          | 350                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 437                                                                          | 546                                                                          |
|                                                                      | Skilled/Clerical                                                              | 523                                                                          | 523                                                                          | 654                                                                          | 654                                                                          | 610                                                                          | 762                                                                          |
|                                                                      | Highly-skilled                                                                | 610                                                                          | 610                                                                          | 762                                                                          | 762                                                                          | 683                                                                          | 851                                                                          |

## Classification of Area

| AREA - 'A'                                                                                             | AREA - 'A'                                                                                             | AREA - 'A'                                                                                             | AREA - 'A'                                                                                             | AREA - 'A'                                                                                             | AREA - 'A'                                                                                             |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Ahmedabad                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Hyderabad                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Faridabad complex                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |
| Bangaluru                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kanpur                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Ghaziabad                                                                                              |                                                                                                        |
| Kolkata                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Lucknow                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Gurgaon                                                                                                |                                                                                                        |
| Delhi                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   | Chennai                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Noida                                                                                                  |                                                                                                        |
| Greater Mumbai                                                                                         | (UA)                                                                                                   | Nagpur                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Secunderabad                                                                                           |                                                                                                        |
| Navi Mumbai                                                                                            |                                                                                                        | Pune                                                                                                   | (UA)                                                                                                   |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| AREA - 'B'                                                                                             | AREA - 'B'                                                                                             | AREA - 'B'                                                                                             | AREA - 'B'                                                                                             | AREA - 'B'                                                                                             | AREA - 'B'                                                                                             |
| Agra                                                                                                   | (UA)                                                                                                   | Gwalior                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Port Blair                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Ajmer                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   | Hubli-Dharwad                                                                                          | (M. Corpn)                                                                                             | Puducherry                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Aligarh                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Indore                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Raipur                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Allahabad                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jabalpur                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Raurkela                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Amravati                                                                                               | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Jaipur                                                                                                 | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Rajkot                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Amritsar                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jalandhar                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Ranchi                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Asansol                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jalandhar-Cantt.                                                                                       | (UA)                                                                                                   | Saharanpur                                                                                             | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              |
| Aurangabad                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jammu                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   | Salem                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Bareilly                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jamnagar                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Sangli                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Belgaum                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jamshedpur                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   | Shillong                                                                                               |                                                                                                        |
| Bhavnagar                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jhansi                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Siliguri                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Bhiwandi                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Jodhpur                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Solapur                                                                                                | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              |
| Bhopal                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kannur                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Srinagar                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Bhubaneshwar                                                                                           | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kochi                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   | Surat                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Bikaner                                                                                                | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Kolhapur                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Thiruvanantapuram                                                                                      | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Bokaro Steel City                                                                                      | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kollam                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Thrissur                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Chandigarh                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kota                                                                                                   | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Tiruchirappalli                                                                                        | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Coimbatore                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   | Kozhikode                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Tiruppur                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Cuttack                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Ludhiana                                                                                               | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Ujjain                                                                                                 | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              |
| Dehradun                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Madurai                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Vadodara                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Dhanbad                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Malappuram                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   | Varanasi                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Durgapur                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Malegaon                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Vasai- Virar City                                                                                      | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              |
| Durg-Bhilai Nagar                                                                                      | (UA)                                                                                                   | Mangalore                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Vijayawada                                                                                             | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Erode                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   | Meerut                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Vishakhapatnam                                                                                         | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              |
| Firozabad                                                                                              |                                                                                                        | Moradabad                                                                                              | (M. Corpn)                                                                                             | Warangal                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Goa                                                                                                    |                                                                                                        | Mysore                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   | Gorakhpur                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| NandedWaghala                                                                                          | (M. Corpn)                                                                                             | GreaterVisakhapatnam                                                                                   | (M.Corpn)                                                                                              | Nasik                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Gulbarga                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Nellore                                                                                                | (UA)                                                                                                   | Guntur                                                                                                 | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Panchkula                                                                                              | (UA)                                                                                                   | Guwahati                                                                                               | (UA)                                                                                                   | Patna                                                                                                  | (UA)                                                                                                   |
| Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. | Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. | Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. | Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. | Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. | Area 'C' will comprise all areas not mentioned in this list. NB : U.A. stands for Urban Agglomeration. |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 446 FOR ANSWER ON 04.04.2022 REGARDING WAGES OF LABOURERS BY SHRI DULAL CHAND GOSWAMI AND SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD.

## Details of Inspections, Prosecutions and Convictions done under the Minimum Wage Act, 1948

| Year                          |   No. of inspections conducted |   No. of Irregularities detected |   No. of Irregularities rectified |   No. of Prosecutions Launched |   No. of Convictions |
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|----------------------|
| 2019-20                       |                           7709 |                            60528 |                             23473 |                           1633 |                  413 |
| 2020-21                       |                           1664 |                            11934 |                              7244 |                            441 |                  160 |
| 2021-22 (up to January, 2022) |                           3681 |                            26906 |                              7038 |                            344 |                  119 |

## CLAIM CASES UNDER MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948

| YEAR                           | CLAIMS FILED UNDER MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948   | CLAIMS FILED UNDER MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948   | CLAIMS FILED UNDER MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948   |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|                                | FILED                                        | DECIDED                                      | AWARDED (Rs.)                                |
| 2019-20                        | 4937                                         | 754                                          | 217981002                                    |
| 2020-21                        | 5325                                         | 1334                                         | 270202177                                    |
| 2021-22 (Up to February, 2022) | 5092                                         | 1752                                         | 132288257                                    |

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