Delhi Govt to raise minimum wages from 30 to 40 per cent

The minimum wages for working class will be increased from 30 to 40 per cent across all sectors in the national capital, Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Rai said a 13-member advisory committee, which was constituted by the Labour Department in April to revise minimum wages in Delhi, will submit its report in next few days and subsequently the decision on fixing minimum wages for all working class - unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled will be taken.

"The AAP government has taken this decision after reviewing the average cost incurred by a family on food, accommodation, electricity, clothing and education. We will increase the minimum wages from 30 to 40 per cent in Delhi across all sectors," he said.

An official of the Labour Department said the last revision of minimum wages in the city was done in 1994.

However, the department has been notifying increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) twice in a year - April and October, which is based on All India Consumer Price Index No (CPIN).

Rai said the government's move was intended to fulfill its electoral promise and improve the quality of life of labourers in the national capital.

The AAP minister said the revision of minimum wages was calculated on the basis of cost of various food items, and the requirement of 2,731 calories per worker per day as prescribed by the National Nutrition Institute, Hyderabad.

In addition to food, other components like housing (10 per cent), education (25 per cent), fuel and power (20 per cent) and clothing (72 per cent) which have been decided by Indian Labour Conference-1957, have also been taken into consideration by the committee, Rai said.

As per existing rules, minimum wages for unskilled persons is Rs 9,568 followed by Rs 10,582 for semi-skilled labour and Rs 11,622 for skilled class in Delhi.

Talking about his department's proposal to make the government's contractual employees 'regular', Rai said, "The Labour Department had recently sent the proposal to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for his nod, but it was sent back to us. The Lt Governor has sought more clarification in the matter."