National Minimum Wages

Since the local conditions vary widely across the States, it is not feasible to have a uniform minimum wage for the whole country. The concept of National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) was mooted on the basis of the recommendations of the National Commission on Rural Labour (NCRL) in 1991 with a view to have a uniform wage structure and to reduce the disparity in minimum wages across the country. Keeping in view the recommendation of NCRL and taking into account the rise in price indices, the NFLMW was initially fixed at Rs.35/- per day in 1996. The same has been revised from time to time and presently it is Rs.115/- w.e.f. 1.4.2011.

Since NFLMW is a non-statutory measure, all the States/UT Governments have been requested that in none of the scheduled employments, the minimum wages should be less than the NFLMW. At present, there is a proposal to amend the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 to make the NFLMW statutory.

A statement showing the range of minimum rates of wages for unskilled workers state-wise as available is annexed.

Disparity in rates of minimum wages in various regions of the country is inevitable.  This is due to wide differences in socio-economic and agro-climatic conditions, prices of essential commodities, paying capacity, productivity and local conditions influencing the wage rate.  The regional disparity in minimum wages is also attributed to the fact that labour is in the concurrent list under the Constitution and both the Central and State Governments are the appropriate Governments to fix, revise and enforce minimum wages in scheduled employments in their respective jurisdictions.

The Union Labour & Employment Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge gave this information in a written reply  in  Rajya  Sabha today.

RANGE OF MINIMUM WAGES FOR UNSKILLED WORKERS IN DIFFERENT STATES/UNION TERRITORIES.