Ensure wages to workers as per rates: Delhi labour minister

Delhi Labour Minister Girish Soni Thursday directed the labour department to ensure that wages are paid to workers as per notified rates set by the state government.

Soni noted that workers employed through contractors are not being paid even the minimum wages despite contractors being paid full wages by the principal employers.

"Though the labour department of the Delhi government has been notifying the rates of minimum wages for different classes of employees from time to time, the latest order being issued on Oct 3, 2013, the orders have not been enforced by many employers," he said.

He said that while the minimum wages in Delhi are at par with central government rates, non-payment of these wages causes hardships to the workers and their families.

The labour minister said he would ensure that workers get their due wages in time.

He appealed to all employers in Delhi to ensure that workers are paid at least the minimum wages.

He also directed employers to pay the wages by cheque or crediting the wages in the employees' accounts after obtaining authorisation from the employees as per the Payment of Wages Act, 1936.

For this purpose, he asked employers to facilitate the opening of a zero-balance bank account in their employees' names.