WB wants industry to observe minimum wage guidelines

The state government would like industry to respect existing guidelines on minimum wage for workers.

Nirupam Sen, minister for commerce and industry, government of West Bengal, said there are instances where the rule was being flouted.

"I have received reports that some companies are not adhering to the minimum wage rule. Moreover, they are not providing certain benefits to workers," he said at the sidelines of 103rd annual general meeting of Bharat Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata today.

"I have been saying this to chambers of commerce so that such practices come to an end," he said hinting that such practices spoil industrial harmony in the state.

Earlier in the meeting, outgoing president N R Goenka demanded that government should allow 'replacement of inefficient workforce' to improve productivity.

Noting that labour productivity is still poor in West Bengal, he urged that the government should consider allowing five per cent of the workforce of any unit to be replaced per year.

"Unless some flexibility is permitted through replacement of the inefficient hands with adequate compensation, accountability of the workers and consequently productivity would not improve," he said.

Santosh Rungta, senior vice president of the chamber, raised the issue of high power tariff in the state. He said it was hurting the development of information technology industry in Bengal.