Govt may standardise wages for private security

NEWDELHI: The Centre is considering bringing about nine million private security guards under the purview of Code on Wages, 2019, to ensure uniform minimum wages for them nationally, Union home ministry officials said. State governments currently regulate the private security sector and wages of guards differ from one state to another.

Parliament passed the code last year to guarantee a minimum wage to hundreds of millions of workers and to have set standard wages nationally. The rules for the code are being framed. According to the code, minimum wages will no longer be based on employment but on geography and skills. It seeks to ensure timely payment of minimum wages and offers legislative protection to over 500 million workers in the sector.

In a video conference with over 250 CEOs of private security agencies and Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) on Friday, home ministry officials assured the guards will be taken care of in terms of wages, bonus, salaries, overtime and social security schemes.

CAPSI chairman Kunwar Vikram Singh said the proposed move will have a positive impact on the guards.