‘Jung’ over: Delhi L-G Baijal clears third major AAP govt proposal in a month
Hiking the minimum wages is the third proposal of AAP government cleared by L-G Anil Baijal in a month. These proposals were either pending with his office since the tenure of his predecessor Najeeb Jung or were returned by Jung for reconsideration.
Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Friday cleared the Delhi government’s proposal to revise minimum wages of industrial workers in the Capital by about 37% across various categories.
This is a departure from the past, when the Delhi government and the then L-G were engaged in repeated confrontation over approval of proposals.
The notification will be issued on Monday, bringing the new wages regime into effect from March 6. “The eligible people will start getting their revised salary from April,” said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
This is the third such decision by Baijal in a month to clear proposals of the AAP government, which were either pending with its office since the tenure of his predecessor Najeeb Jung or were returned by Jung for reconsideration.
After clearing AAP government’s proposal to open over 300 Mohalla Clinics in Delhi government schools on February 8, Baijal cleared the proposal to increase salary of about 17,000 guest teachers on Thursday. Baijal took over the role of city’s administrator from Jung last December.
“I thank the L-G for giving approval (to minimum wages proposal). I hope that we will continue to work together for the welfare of Delhi,” said Kejriwal, even as he side-stepped with a smile a specific question whether the approvals by L-G was an indication of the Central government having stopped creating roadblocks in the function of AAP government, a repeated allegation of his party.
In an interview to Hindustan Times on completion of two years, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had said that he was “quite hopeful” of a good working relationship with Anil Baijal as the new L-G has started clearing files blocked by his predecessor Jung.
Besides clearing of Mohalla Clinics proposal, he cited Baijal’s other decisions such as clearing names suggested for the board of directors at the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technological University and proposal to allow sportspersons to train at school grounds after school hours as the cases in point. A number of files were returned without any objection, the deputy CM had added.
On Friday, Kejriwal also appealed the Centre to clear the Minimum Wages Amendment Bill 2015 that aims to make the penal action more stringent against employers violating minimum wages rule.
Speaking to reporters, Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai said that about 50 lakh people will be benefited from the decision.
The Delhi government last week had approved around 37% hike in the minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled persons in the national capital. As per the Cabinet’s decision, the minimum wages for unskilled persons will be Rs 13,350 per month against the existing Rs 9,724 per month. For semi-skilled and skilled persons, it will increase from Rs 10,764 to Rs 14,698 and from Rs 11,830 to Rs 16,182 per month respectively.