55 lakh workers to benefit from min wages: Kejriwal

New Delhi

New Delhi

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said over 55 lakh workers in the city will benefit from the increased minimum wages notified by the Delhi government last week after the Supreme Court’s approval.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Kejriwal said that after the recent notification, Delhi now pays the highest minimum wages to its contractual workers compared to any other state.

The chief minister said all employees will also get a Diwali bonus of one month’s salary apart from the dearness allowance for the months of April to September.

“On October 14, 2019, the Supreme Court gave an order in favour of the Delhi government on minimum wages. We notified the increased minimum wages. The move will help reduce poverty and deal with the economic slowdown. We hope this will lead to an increase in demand and production, and generate employment,” he said.

Workers, be it in government or private companies, in Delhi are now entitled to get a minimum monthly wage of Rs 14,842 per month (unskilled), Rs 16,341 (semi-skilled- for clerical and supervisory staff) and Rs 17,991 (skilled), Rs 16,341 (non-matriculates), Rs 17,991 (matriculate but not graduate) and Rs 19,572 (graduate and above).

Earlier, the wages were Rs 13,350 (unskilled), Rs 14,698 (semi-skilled) and Rs 16,182 (skilled), according to a 2017 notification of the Delhi government. The new wages have seen an increase of approximately 11% across all categories compared to those applicable under the 2017 order.

The chief minister said increasing the minimum wages was not a smooth ride for the government. “The first minimum wage committee constituted by us had submitted its report in August, 2016, which was approved by the Delhi cabinet. But in September the same year, the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) declared the move null and void, saying the committee we had formed didn’t have his approval. Though we felt there was no need to take his approval, we again formed the committee and repeated the entire process again,” he said.

After the wages were approved the second time and a notification was issued in March 2017, Kejriwal said 44 employers’ associations filed a petition against the order to increase minimum wages. Later, the high court struck down the notification and the government challenged it in the Supreme Court, he said.

Talking about the action taken by the Delhi government against violators, he said it removed 1,373 contractors so far for not paying minimum wages to workers.

“We had run two special drives and booked over 100 employers for violating minimum wages rules. Cases of cheating have been registered against six contractors and complaints against 100 employers have been registered,” Kejriwal said.