Government Sets Minimum Wages for Labour
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1141
ANSWERED ON: 17.12.2018
Government set Benchmark of Minimum Wages
ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR Will the Minister of
LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:-
(a) the status of the Wage Code Bill, 2017;
(b) whether the Bill enables the Government to set benchmark of minimum wages for different regions in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the States will not be able to dilute the minimum wages below the benchmark set by the Centre; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which legislation in expected to be made?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE(IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) to (d): The Labour Code on Wages has been introduced in Lok Sabha on 10.08.2017 and subsequently, referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour. The Code on Wages, 2017 Bill provides that Central Government may, by Notification, fix ‘national minimum wage’, which may be different for different States or geographical areas. The minimum rates of wages fixed by the appropriate Government (including the State Government) shall not be less than the ‘national minimum wage’, notified for that area by the Central Government.