Minimum wage increased by Rs 5 to Rs 50

The minimum floor level wage has been increased by Rs 5 at the national level to Rs 50 per day with effect from September 1, 2002.

Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma has written to all States to ensure that no worker was paid less than Rs 50 per day, official sources said. The national floor level minimum wage of Rs 35 was fixed in 1996 on the recommendations of the National Commission on rural labour. It was increased to Rs 40 in August 1998 in scheduled employments and subsequently raised to Rs 45 in November 1999. The number of scheduled employments in the Central government is 45 whereas in the State sphere the number is 1,232. Under the Minimum Wages Act, the appropriate governments are required to revise the minimum wages in all scheduled employments under their respective jurisdiction at an interval not exceeding five years.