Question : WAGE REVISION

(a) whether there is a demand for wage revision and complaint of non-payment of minimum wages are received; and

(b) if so, what action will be taken by the Government to save the most exploited regiment?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT(SHRI HARISH RAWAT)  

(a) & (b): Minimum wages are fixed/revised as per the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 by the appropriate Governments. In order to protect the minimum wages against inflation, the Central Government and most of the State Governments / Union Territory Administrations have adopted the system of Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA), revised twice a year effective from 1st April and 1st October on the basis of increase in Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers.

  In the Central sphere, the enforcement of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is secured through the Inspecting Officers of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) commonly designated as Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM), the compliance in the State Sphere is ensured through the State Enforcement Machinery. They conduct regular inspections and in the event of detection of any case of non-payment or under-payment of minimum wages including overtime wages, they advise the employers to make payment of the shortfall of wages. In case of non-compliance, penal provisions against the defaulting employers are invoked. The details regarding enforcement of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 in the Central and the State sphere during the last year i.e., 2009 - 10 as available, is annexed.