Lok Sabha Question No. 4080 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Mimimum Wages to Construction Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Anubhav Mohanty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4080

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022

## MIMIMUM WAGES TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

4080. SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY:

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

- (a)whether  the  minimum  wages  paid  to  the  construction  workers  in Government Projects  is  uniform  throughout  the  country  and  if  so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  Central  Notification  for payment  of  minimum  wages  to  labour  engaged  under  any  of  the Central Projects;
- (c)whether all the States/UTs are strictly following the uniform pattern for  payment  of  minimum  wages  to  the  labourers  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d)if not, the reasons therefor and action taken by the Government to ensure payment of minimum wages to the labourers engaged in the Central Projects throughout the Country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, both the Central and the State Governments are the appropriate Government in their respective jurisdiction. The Scheduled employments and minimum rates of wages fixed in terms of section 4 of the Act in respect of any scheduled employment  including construction  may  vary  from  one  jurisdiction  to  another,  in  different localities within a   jurisdiction  and in different  classes of work in the Contd..2/-

same scheduled employment. The current minimum rates of wages as applicable to the employees engaged in the employment of construction under the jurisdiction  of  the  Central  Government are at Annexure.  The  minimum  rates  of  wages  in  respect  of  the  State jurisdictions are not centrally maintained. Authorities statutorily appointed  for  the  purpose  by  the  appropriate  Governments,  i.e.  the Central  Government  and  the  State  Governments,  are  entrusted  with the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, including payment of prescribed minimum wages. 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  non-compliance,  penal  provisions prescribed under Section 22 of the Act are taken recourse to.

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## Annexure Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4080 for 28.03.2022. Statement  showing  current  rates  of  minimum  wages  for  employees engaged in the employment of construction in the Central Sphere on account of revision of VDA on 01.10.2021.

| Name of Scheduled Employment   | Category of Worker                  | Minimum rates of wages per day (in Rs.) including V.D.A as last revised on 01.10.21   | Minimum rates of wages per day (in Rs.) including V.D.A as last revised on 01.10.21   | Minimum rates of wages per day (in Rs.) including V.D.A as last revised on 01.10.21   |
|--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                |                                     | Area-A                                                                                | Area-B                                                                                | Area-C                                                                                |
| Construction^                  | Unskilled                           | 654                                                                                   | 546                                                                                   | 437                                                                                   |
| Construction^                  | Semi- Skilled/Unskilled Supervisory | 724                                                                                   | 617                                                                                   | 512                                                                                   |
| Construction^                  | Skilled/Clerical                    | 795                                                                                   | 724                                                                                   | 617                                                                                   |
| Construction^                  | Highly Skilled                      | 864                                                                                   | 795                                                                                   | 724                                                                                   |

^ Employees engaged in the employment of construction or maintenance of Roads or Runways or in Building Operations including laying down Underground Electric, Wireless, Radio, Television, Telephone, Telegraph and Overseas Communication Cables and similar other Underground Cabling Work, Electric Lines, Water Supply Lines and Sewerage Pipe Lines.

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