Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ratified a proposal to make the national floor level minimum wage mandatory for all unskilled workers in the country at a meeting of the union cabinet on late Thursday evening.
The decision coincided with the conclusion of a two-day national strike called by all central trade unions to protest the government’s economic and labour policies, and is likely to be formally announced by labour and employment minister Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament.
Over 93% of India’s 400-million plus workforce is employed in the informal sector, with most of them making a living as daily wage earners. The Centre has pegged the daily floor level minimum wage at 115, but sixteen states including Kerala, AP, Maharashtra and Gujarat have set lower floor level minimum wages.
Following the cabinet’s nod, the labour ministry will introduce amendments to the Minimum Wages Act of 1948 to give a statutory status for its floor wage level. Though the proposed amendments are not part of the sixteen bills listed by the parliamentary affairs ministry for introduction in the Budget session, a senior government official said they are likely to be tabled soon.
Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor from
via Minimum wage for unskilled staff gets nod – The Economic Times.
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