Lok Sabha Question No. 227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Non-payment of Wages
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Ranjeeta Koli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 227 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2021

## NON-PAYMENT OF WAGES

†227. SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI:

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

- (a)whether it is a fact that the Government does not maintain the records of complaints  regarding  nonpayment  of  wages  to  the  workers/labourers,  if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the reaction of the Government in this regard and the rules made to take action against the contractors and firms for non-payment of wages; and
- (c)if not, the basis on which stategy related to the welfare of the workers is made in the absence of the above records?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (c): Both the Central Government and the State Governments are the appropriate Governments to enforce the provisions of the Payment of Wages Act,  1936,  and  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948,  including  the  provisions relating  to    non-payment  of  wages/minimum  wages,  in  their  respective jurisdictions.  In  the  Central  sphere  the  enforcement  is  done  through  the Inspecting  Officers  of  the  Chief  Labour  Commissioner  (Central)  commonly designated as Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) and the compliance in  the  State  Sphere  is  ensured  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 underpayment of wages/minimum wages, they direct the employers to make payment of the shortfall of wages.  In case of non-compliance, penal provisions prescribed under sections 17A and 20 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 and section 22 of  the  Minimum  Wages  Act  are  taken  recourse  to.  The  details  regarding number  of  claim  cases  filed  and  decided  in  the  Central  sphere  under  the Payment  of  Wages  Act,  1936,  and  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948,  are annexed.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 227 FOR 29.11.2021 REGARDING NON-PAYMENT OF WAGES.

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.)                                |
| (1)                     | (2)                                          | (3)                                          | (4)                                          |
| 2018-19                 | 4698                                         | 1307                                         | 26,75,44,000                                 |
| 2019-20                 | 5882                                         | 1857                                         | 20,94,37,906                                 |
| 2020-21 Up to Jan, 2021 | 5007                                         | 815                                          | 12,79,70,284                                 |

Claim cases under Payment of Wages Act, 1936

| YEAR                    | CLAIMS FILED UNDER PAYMENT WAGES ACT, 1936   | CLAIMS FILED UNDER PAYMENT WAGES ACT, 1936   | CLAIMS FILED UNDER PAYMENT WAGES ACT, 1936   |
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|                         | FILED                                        | DECIDED                                      | AWARDED (Rs.)                                |
| (1)                     | (2)                                          | (3)                                          | (4)                                          |
| 2018-19                 | 682                                          | 381                                          | 1,76,19,000                                  |
| 2019-20                 | 747                                          | 321                                          | 3,61,22,882                                  |
| 2020-21 Up to Jan, 2021 | 752                                          | 39                                           | 1,00,06,728                                  |

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