Assam govt proposes to revise minimum wages for domestic help

The Assam government today said it has proposed to revise the minimum wages payable to workers engaged as domestic help.
"The state government after consultation with the State Minimum Wages Advisory Board for the employment of domestic workers has recently made a draft proposal for revising the minimum rates of wages," an official release said.
As per the draft, the minimum wage is proposed at Rs 30 per hour for part-time employment for sweeping, swabbing, dusting (housekeeping), washing utensils and washing clothes.
For cooking, baby care or old age care, the minimum wage for every hour has been proposed at Rs 35.

"Likewise, for full-time domestic works irrespective of their work (8 hours) and baby care or old age care, the rate of minimum wages has been proposed at Rs 7,200 and Rs 8,400 per month respectively," the statement said.
In addition to the revised rates, the workers will be entitled to Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) 100 per cent over the rise and fall of index point in the All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial Workers.

Rates of VDA will be revised every six months on the basis of change in CPI number during the intervening period.
"The rates will be fixed after consideration of the objections or suggestions received from any individual or organisation before the given date," according to the release.

Any objections or suggestions will be placed before the State Minimum Wages Advisory Board for consideration on expiry of two months, it said.
"All objections or suggestions filed with regard to the draft proposal should be addressed to the Government of Assam, Labour and Employment Department, Dispur, Guwahati-6 within a period of two months (60 days) from the date of publication of the draft proposal," the release said.