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Labour Ministry Hikes Minimum Wage for Agricultural Labourers

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Entitlement at minimum `300 per day in C-category towns compared to Rs 160 now
The labour ministry has nearly doubled the minimum wage for agricultural labourers including those hired on contract, barely six months after a significant increase in minimum wages for non-agricultural labourers.
The Centre had on August 1 last year raised minimum wages for non-agricultural workers 42%.

According to a labour ministry notification, an unskilled agricultural labourer will be entitled to a minimum wage of `300 per day in C-category towns compared to `160 now while those in B and A category towns will get ` 303 and `333 respectively. Similarly, semi-skilled workers will be entitled to a daily minimum wage of `364, `335 and `307 in A, B and C-category towns while skilled workers will be paid `395, `364 and `334 under three catego ries respectively. Highly skilled workers will get `438, `407 and `364 in A, B and C-category towns.

Wages prescribed by the state government will prevail over these rates if higher than central go vernment notified rates. The notification further said, “Minimum rates include wages for weekly day of rest and are applicable to employees engaged by contractors also.“

A­category states include 17 big towns including metro cities while the remaining towns have been categorised under B-category while C-category towns include areas to which the Minimum Wage Act, 1948 is applicable. Besides, the ministry has notified minimum wages for mine workers in all categories, and in this case also minimum wages notified by state governments, if higher than the central wages, will prevail.

Henceforth, unskilled mine workers will get `350 and `437 per day for above ground and underground work while skilled workers will get `436 and `523 respectively, and the skilled workers will be entitled to daily wage of `523 and `610 respectively.
The Economic Times New Delhi,02th March 2017

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