UT raises minimum wages

Chandigarh , May 17 (UNI) The Chandigarh Administration has increased the basic daily and monthly rates of minimum wages for daily and monthly rated employees as per the Consumer Price Index Number of Chandigarh Centre for the half year ending March 2007. The wages would be further evaluated after September 30, 2007.

The monthly minimum wages for the unskilled have been increased from Rs. 3311.50 to Rs. 3426.50 from April 1, 2007 . For Semi-Skilled-II, it has been increased from Rs. 3461.50 to Rs.

3576.50.

In the same way, the daily minimum wages for daily rated employees have also been revised. Besides, rates of minimum wages have been revised for workers employed with hotels, restaurants, tea stalls and sweetmakers.

The half-yearly Cost of Living Index Numbers of Chandigarh Centre (Base 2001=100) for industrial workers, issued by Labour Bureau, Shimla for the months of October 2006 to March 2007 are 673, 673, 673, 684, 684 and 679 respectively.

Thus the average (calculated for six months) cost of living index numbers as on March 31, 2007 is 678. The previous average cost of living index numbers was 655 points for half year ending September 30, 2006. Therefore, increase in average cost of living index number is 23 points. The per-point neutralization in minimum rates of wages for monthly rated employees under the Minimum Wages Act is Rs. 5 per point. Thus minimum rates of wages for each category of employees have been increased by Rs. 115 per month on the increase of 23 points.

Similarly, daily rated employees will get increase of Rs. 4.37 @ paise 0.19 per point on the increase of 23 points. The minimum rates of wages are payable for daily and monthly rated employees for the period starting from April 1, 2007 to September 30, 2007 (both days inclusive).

UNI