Delhi govt raises monthly DA for different categories of workers: Dy CM

The Delhi government has enhanced monthly dearness allowance for its unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and other category workers, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.

Sisodia, who also holds the labour department charges, said the government will ensure the workers receive timely wages during the coronavirus crisis.

The revised minimum wages, including the dearness allowance (DA), will be applicable to unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled categories in all scheduled employments, from October 1, a government statement said.

"For unskilled workers, the wages have been fixed at monthly Rs 15,492 (daily Rs 596), for semi-skilled workers it is Rs 17,069 (daily Rs 657) and for skilled workers it is fixed at Rs 18,797 (daily Rs 723), it said.

The minimum wage rates for clerical and supervisory staff employees have also been increased by the government.

"Of these, non-matriculation will get monthly wages of Rs 17,069 (Rs 657 daily), matriculates but non-graduates to get monthly Rs 18,797 (daily Rs 723), and graduates and above to get monthly Rs 20,430 (daily Rs 786)," the statement said.

The Labour Department fixes dearness allowance after adjustment of the average All India Consumer Price Index Number. It is revised twice every year, that is, April and October, Sisodia said.

Due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation and economic hardship, the DA could not be revised in April this year, but the price hike of that period has been taken into account while revising the allowance now, he said.

The DA for regular government employees has been frozen from January 2020 to June, 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, in consonance with the directions of the Union Ministry of Finance, the statement said.

The deputy CM, however, maintained that DA for workers placed at the bottom of the hierarchy cannot be frozen as they are generally provided only minimum wages, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.