राष्ट्रीय (10/01/2014) 
Government is committed to ensure the welfare of contract labour:
Delhi Labour Minister Sh. Girish Soni has directed the Labour Department to ensure that wages are paid to all the workers at least as per the minimum notified rates. He said that the Labour Department  of Govt. of NCT of Delhi has been notifying the rates of minimum wages for different class of employees in the scheduled  employments in exercise  of powers conferred by sub-section (2)  of section 5 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (XI of the 1948)  from time to time.  The latest order has been issued on 3rd October, 2013 in respect of 27 scheduled employments but these orders have not been enforced by some employers.  

 Shree Girish Soni expressed his deep concern in respect of the complaints received from workers about non-payment of the notified minimum rates of wages. He noted that the workers employed through contractors are not being paid minimum rates of wages even though the contractors get full wages from the principal employers. The Government is committed to ensure the welfare of contract labour. He said that while the minimum rates of wages, in Delhi are at par with the rates of Central Govt. non-payment of these wages causes avoidable hardship to the workers and their families. The Labour Minister expressed his resolve to ensure that the workers get their due wages in time. Accordingly he has appealed to all the employers in the NCT of Delhi to ensure that their workers are paid at least the minimum rates of wages.

            Labour Minister said that the present rates of minimum wages are Rs.8086/- per month or Rs.311/- per day for un-skilled workers, Rs.8918/- per month or Rs.343/- per day for semi-skilled workers and Rs.9802/- per month or Rs.377/- per day for skilled workers.  For non-technical supervisory staff and clerical staff the rates are based on educational qualifications. For non-matrics Rs.8918/- per month or Rs.343/- per day, for matriculates but non-graduates it is semi-skilled workers and Rs.9802/- per month or Rs.377/- per day and for graduates and above it is Rs.10686/- per month or Rs. 411/- per day.

    Shri Soni said that in order to redress the grievances of the employees relating to non-payment of minimum wages as also complaints from registered Trade Unions on the subject and to insulate the employers from such complaints, it is in the interest of the employers to make the payment of wages through cheque or through ECS (Electronic Clearing System). He has according directed all the employers to make payment of wages to their employees by cheque or crediting the wages in the employees account through ECS after obtaining authorization from the employees as per section 6 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936. For this purpose, the employers are also directed to facilitate opening of a zero balance bank account of their employees.

Labour Minister said that compliance of this order will not only ensure payment of minimum wages, but will facilitate the compliance  of various other labour laws relating to Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, Contract Labour( R & A) Act, 1970, Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952, Payment of  Gratuity Act, 1972, Payment of Wages Act, 1936, etc.  It will also redress the legitimate grievances of the employees and will lead to better industrial relations between the employers and employees.

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