Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: Migrant Labour in Marine Fisheries Sector of Kerala
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. Shashi Tharoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 274 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026

## MIGRANT LABOUR IN MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR OF KERALA

274.  DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- (a)whether  it  is  a  fact  that  migrant  workers  who  constitutes significant  percentage  of  workforce  in  the  fisheries  sector  earn significantly  less  than  native  workers,  averaging  Rs.25,000  per month in harvest activities compared to Rs.30,000 for natives, and
- only Rs.11,000 per month in post-harvest work;
- (b)if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  compliance with minimum wage laws, decent working conditions and humane
- living standards for such workers; and
- (c)the details of inspections, audits, or enforcement actions carried out in Kerala's fisheries sector during the last three years and the current year under the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code along with violations detected and penalties imposed?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (c): Fisheries  is  a  state  subject  under  7 th  Schedule  of  the Constitution of India. In the fisheries sector, the respective state Government fixes the minimum wages.

The  provisions  of  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948,  have been  rationalized  and  subsumed  under  the  Code  on  Wages,  2019 which  have  been  made  effective  from  21.11.2025.  Under  the provisions of Code on Wages, 2019, the Central Government and the State  Governments,  as  appropriate  Government,  fix,  review  and their revise the minimum  wages  for all  employments  under respective jurisdictions.

The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1979 has subsumed in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020.  The  OSH  Code,  provides  for  decent  working  conditions, minimum wages, grievances redressal mechanisms, toll free helpline, and  social  security  to  all  category  of  organised  and  unorganized workers including migrant workers.

In  the  OSH  Code,  2020 inter-state  migrant  worker  has been defined as a person who is employed in an establishment who has  been  recruited  directly  by  the  employer  or  indirectly  through contractor  in  one  State  for  employment  in  such  establishment situated in another State or,  has come on his own from one State and obtained employment in an establishment of another State or has subsequently  changed  the  establishment  within  the  destination such amount  of

State Under an agreement or other arrangement for employment  and  draws  wages  not exceeding the Rs.18000/- per month.

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.

Since, fisheries is a State subject under 7 th  Schedule of the Constitution of India, inspection, audit and enforcement under the fisheries sector are carried out by the respective state Governments. *****