GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2950

ANSWERED ON:15.03.2010

MINIMUM WAGES TO UNORGANISED LABOURERS

(a) whether the Government proposes to fix minimum wages to labourers/workers engaged in unorganised sector in the Central sphere;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the time by which such wages are likely to be fixed; and

(c) the details and names of sectors which are covered under unorganized sector?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)

(a) to (c): 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 employments under their respective jurisdictions. The appropriate Governments have also been empowered to notify any employment in the schedule where the number of employees is 1000 or more and fix the rates of minimum wages in respect of the employees employed in scheduled employments.

The minimum wages are fixed for workers engaged in the scheduled employments in Central and State spheres by the appropriate Governments, which are applicable both for the organized as well as the unorganized sectors. At present, there are 45 scheduled employments in the Central sphere and the Central Government has fixed the minimum rates of wages for these scheduled employments.

A statement giving the minimum rates of wages fixed for different categories of workers engaged in scheduled employments in the Central sphere is annexed.