Lok Sabha Question No. 106 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-07
Subject: Amendment to Minimum Wages Act
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, YOGI ADITYANATH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 106

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2015

## AMENDMENT TO MINIMUM WAGES ACT

*106. SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER: SHRI YOGI ADITYA NATH:

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

- (a)whether minimum wages fixed for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 varies amongst States and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the minimum wages fixed for each State/UT along with the reasons for differential wages on gender basis and also between urban and rural women;
- (c)whether  the  Government  proposes  to  amend  the  said  Act  and formulate a uniform wage policy for the entire country and if so, the details and salient features thereof and the time by which the said Act is likely to be amended and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)whether the Government has received feedback from the State Governments and other stakeholders in this regard; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto?

## 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.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  106  FOR  07.12.2015  BY SHRIMATI  P.  K.  SREEMATHI  TEACHER  AND  SHRI  YOGI  ADITYA NATH REGARDING 'AMENDMENT TO MINIMUM WAGES ACT'.

(a) & (b): 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 socioeconomic and agro-climatic conditions, income, prices of essential commodities, paying capacity, productivity and local conditions. However, as per the available information, a statement showing the range of rates of minimum wages in all the States/Union Territories is at Annexure. Further, 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. (c) to (e): As a step towards moving for a uniform wage structure, as recommended by the National Commission on Rural Labour and to reduce the  disparity  in  minimum  wages  across  the  country,  the  concept  of National  Floor  Level  Minimum  Wage  (NFLMW)  was  mooted  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 recently to Rs.160/- per day with effect from 01.07.2015. Amendment to Labour Laws is an ongoing process and such amendments  are  made  through  tripartite  consultations  and  taking  the views of stakeholders including the State Governments into consideration.  Government  has  initiated  step  towards  amalgamation, simplification and rationalization of Labour Laws into Labour Codes. The Labour Code on Wages amalgamates the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 and the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.

## Annexure in reply to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha  Starred Question No. 106 for 07.12.2015 Category wise Range of Minimum Rates of Wages in All States as on 01.12.2015

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories   | Categories     | Categories     |
|-----------|-------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|----------------|----------------|
| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | Unskilled    | Unskilled    | Semi Skilled | Semi Skilled | Skilled      | Skilled      | Highly Skilled | Highly Skilled |
| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | Min.         | Max.         | Min.         | Max.         | Min.         | Max.         | Min.           | Max.           |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 69.27        | -            | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | 858.83         |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh | 150.00       | 170.00       | 160.00       | 180.00       | 170.00       | 190.00       | -              | -              |
| 3         | Assam             | 177.84       | 177.84       | 205.20       | 205.20       | 284.55       | 284.55       | -              | -              |
| 4         | Bihar             | 181.00       | 197.00       | 188.00       | 206.00       | 232.00       | 251.00       | 282.00         | 308.00         |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      | 157.00       | 242.00       | 201.00       | 247.00       | 210.00       | 256.00       | 236.00         | 266.00         |
| 6         | Goa               | 215.00       | 216.00       | 223.00       | 229.00       | 227.00       | 232.00       | 235.00         | 292.00         |
| 7         | Gujarat           | 150.00       | 276.00       | 276.00       | 284.00       | 284.00       | 293.00       | -              | -              |
| 8         | Haryana           | 226.40       | 226.40       | 231.40       | 236.40       | 241.40       | 246.40       | 251.40         | 251.40         |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh  | 170.00       | 185.55       | 180.17       | 187.00       | 206.52       | 214.00       | 227.12         | 274.50         |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir*   | 150.00       | 150.00       | 175.00       | 175.00       | 225.00       | 225.00       | -              | -              |
| 11        | Jharkhand         | 210.00       | 225.00       | 220.00       | 240.00       | 290.00       | 335.00       | 259.31         | 360.00         |
| 12        | Karnataka         | 198.23       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | 343.58         |
| 13        | Kerala            | 275.46       | 548.70       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | -              |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh    | 187.00       | 253.00       | 248.00       | 339.00       | 294.00       | 387.00       | 337.00         | 389.00         |
| 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           | 220.00       | 220.00       | 250.00       | 250.00       | 310.00       | 380.00       | -              | -              |
| 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         | 166.00       | 166.00       | 176.00       | 176.00       | 186.00       | 186.00       | 236.00         | 236.00         |
| 23        | Sikkim            | 220.00       | 220.00       | 242.00       | 242.00       | 275.00       | 275.00       | 319.00         | 319.00         |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu        | 146.00       | 431.86       | -            | -            | -            | -            | -              | -              |
| 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       | 262.11       | 240.24       | 288.32       | 282.07       | 322.96       | 299.19         | 299.19         |
| 28        | West Bengal       | 171.00       | 268.00       | 172.00       | 295.00       | 175.00       | 324.50       | 181.00         | 357.00         |
| 29        | A.& N. Islands    | 274.00       | 285.00       | 286.00       | 294.00       | 338.00       | 363.00       | 363.00         | 384.00         |
| 30        | Chandigarh        | 306.19       | 306.19       | 311.96       | 316.00       | 323.15       | 332.15       | 348.00         | 348.00         |
| 31        | D &NHaveli        | 220.80       | 220.80       | 227.30       | 227.30       | 233.80       | 233.80       | -              | -              |
| 32        | Daman &Diu        | 268.20       | 268.20       | 276.20       | 276.20       | 284.20       | 284.20       | -              | -              |
| 33        | Delhi             | 316.00       | 353.00       | 349.00       | 390.00       | 384.00       | 429.00       | -              | -              |
| 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       |              | -            | -            | -            |                |                |

* Data is yet to be received. Figures indicate rates of wages as on 31.12.2013

The minimum wages shown for unskilled category for the state of Assam, & W.B. don't include the rates for Tea plantation. However, the rate of Tea Plantation in  Tamil Nadu & Kerala are higher than the minimum for unskilled category.

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Annexure