(a) whether different rates of wages prevail for different types of work in the country;
(b) if so, the rate of minimum wages during 2004-05 in the country indicating the areas and nature of work for which the minimum wages are paid, State-wise;
(c) whether major chunk of the wages paid to the labourers is appropriated by the middlemen; and
(d) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken to ensure full benefit of minimum wages to these labourers?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT (SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU)
(a) to (d): A Statement is annexed.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1658 BY SHRI BHUBNESHWAR PRASAD MEHTA & SHRI JASUBHAI DHANABHAI BARAD REGARDING MINIMUM WAGES DUE FOR ANSWER ON 6.3.2006.
(a) to (d): On the basis of available information a statement giving the range of minimum wages for unskilled workers in different States/UTs, is annexed. Under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 the enforcement of the minimum wages is secured both at the Central and State level through the office of Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) and State enforcement Machinery respectively. They conduct regular inspections and advise the employers to make payment of shortfall of wages whenever they come across any case of non-payment or less payment of wages. In case of non-adherence of their advice, Employers may be subjected to legal and penal actions.
Annexure
STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1658 FOR 06.03.2006 BY SHRI BHUBNESHWAR PRASAD MEHTA AND SHRI JASUBHAI DHANABHAI BARAD REGARDING MINIMUM WAGES
RANGE OF MINIMUM WAGES FOR UNSKILLED WORKERS IN DIFFERENT STATES/UTs.
S No State/Union Territory Range of Minimum Wages per day (in rupees) (1) (2) (3)
Central 61-115
States/Union Territories
1. Andhra Pradesh 45-110 2. Arunachal Pradesh 55-57 3. Assam 48-97 4. Bihar 66-71 5. Chhattisgarh 53-79 6. Goa 56-94 7 Gujarat 50-99 8. Haryana 87-88 9. Himachal Pradesh 65 10. Jammu & Kashmir 66 11. Jharkhand 68 12. Karnataka 56-99 13 Kerala 72-174 14. Madhya Pradesh 57-87 15. Maharashtra 44-149 16. Manipur 70-72 17. Meghalaya 70 18. Mizoram 91 19. Nagaland 66-70 20. Orissa 53 21. Punjab 91 22. Rajasthan 73-76 23. Sikkim 85 24. Tamil Nadu 54-150 25. Tripura 50-66 26. Uttar Pradesh 57-110 27. Uttaranchal 62-95 28. West Bengal 44-123 29. Andaman & Nicobar 100-107 30. Chandigarh 114 31. Dadra & Nagar Haveli 89 32. Daman & Diu 75 33. Delhi 122 34. Lakshadweep 70 35. Pondicherry 45-100