'Higher min wages to help workers cope with cost of living'

Minimum wages are likely to be revised in the near future, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya indicated today, saying an upward revision would help the labour force cope with the changes in cost of living.
"The last meeting of MWAB (Minimum Wages Advisory Board) was held on May 26, 2016 where suggestions were received for a review of the minimum wages in the scheduled employment," he said while replying to questions in the Lok Sabha.
"We have taken into consideration all the suggestions given by them and we are positively moving in that direction," the Labour and Employment Minister said.
Dattatreya said revision of basic minimum wage in the central sphere is done in consultation with the MWAB -- a tripartite body comprising members from the employers' groups, trade unions and independent members.

"The upward revision of the minimum wage would facilitate the labour force to cope up with the changes in the cost of living," Dattatreya said, emphasising that various labour welfare measures have been initiated over the last two years.
Under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, central and state governments can fix the minimum wages for different categories of workers in scheduled employment under their respective jurisdictions.

As far as the fixation of minimum wages is concerned, there is a variation in the Dearness Allowance and the Consumer Price Index, he said.
"Now, 28 state governments have already agreed to this variable DA system. The central government with this sole objective is going to bring an amendment in the Act itself," Dattatreya said.

According to him, various labour welfare measures such as minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to the pensioners under Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995, have been initiated over the last two years.