Delhi CM Kejriwal announces big hike in minimum wages before MCD polls
With the model code for the civic polls set to be imposed from mid-March, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal led AAP has announced a hike in minimum wages by over 37% for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labourers.
The Arvind Kejriwal government just gave a Holi bonanza to the city’s labourers by increasing their minimum wages by over 37%. The timing of the announcement assumes significance as municipal elections are scheduled in April for which the model code of conduct is likely to be imposed mid-March.
Keeping this in mind, chief minister Kejriwal also announced that the Delhi Assembly budget session will be held between March 6 and March 10.
Implementing the recommendations of the committee that was set up for the purpose, the government has increased the minimum wages of unskilled workers from Rs 9,724 to Rs13,350 per month. For semi-skilled workers the same has been hiked from Rs10, 764 to Rs14, 698 per month. Skilled labourers also have a big reason to cheer as their wages have been increased from a minimum of Rs 11, 830 to Rs 16,182 per month. The dearness allowance will also keep increasing automatically.
The decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Kejriwal on Saturday morning.
A special committee constituted by the Delhi labour department, with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor, to decide on the wages, had submitted its report earlier this month.
This was the second attempt by the AAP government within months to revise minimum wages after the then L-G Najeeb Jung turned down its previous decision to revise wages by about 50% on procedural grounds.
The basic minimum wages in the capital were last revised in 2010. However, the labour department has been notifying increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) twice in a year — April and October — based on All India Consumer Price Index No (CPIN).