Amended min wages act to be introduced soon: Dattatreya

Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Monday said in order to bring uniformity in the wage structure and other labour related issues the central government was mulling to bring a modified minimum wages act.

“Under the provisions of the act the state governments would not have the right to fix the minimum wages which it did till now. Only the Centre would be empowered to fix the wages. However, the states can increase the same if it wants,” said the minister, who was in the city to inaugurate a three-day national convention of Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS).

Under the act, scheduled and non-scheduled workers would be included and their wages fixed as per the price index, he said.

Besides, the minister said provident fund members would be given medical facilities after retirement under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) on the pattern of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).

Also the workers under unorganised sectors would be given identity cards (ID) for availing the benefits of various schemes, he added. The act would cover aanganwadi, mid day meal and asha workers.

He said the government has finalized a proposal of setting up 30-bed hospitals in Unnao, Mathura and Firozabad. Besides, 25 dispensaries in the state would be upgraded to treat even the critical cases.