Govt hikes minimum wage to Rs 160/day

New Delhi, Jul 7: After a gap of two years, the government today hiked the minimum wage for workers by Rs 23 to Rs 160 a day.

The increased wages will be applicable from July 1. In a statement, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatraya said the decision to revise upwards the National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) has been taken in view of the increase in retail inflation for industrial workers.

"National Floor Level Minimum Wage has been revised upwards from the existing Rs 137 to Rs 160 per day with effect from July 1, 2015," the release said.

In a letter written to all the Chief Ministers and LGs, Dattatraya asked them to take "necessary steps for fixation/ revision of the minimum rates of wages in respect of all scheduled employment in states/UTs not below the NFLMW of Rs 160 per day with effect from July 1, 2015".

The Minister also stressed on implementation of various provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. While reviewing the movement of Consumer Price Index (Industrial Workers) during April 2014 to March 2015 over April 2012 to March 2013, it was observed that the average CPI-IW has risen from 215.17 to 250.83, the Minister said.

"Accordingly, the NFLMW has been revised upwards," he added. In order to have a "uniform wage structure and reduce the disparity in minimum wages" across the country, NFLMW is fixed, which also needs to be revised from time to time on the basis CPI-IW.

The wage was last revised to Rs 137 from Rs 115 per day effective July 1, 2013. It's applicable to all employment verticals irrespective of the workers engaged. P

PTI