The Centre has decided to fix the minimum wage for unskilled agricultural labour in C-class towns in central sphere at 350 rupees per day to be effective from Tuesday. Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told this to reporters in New Delhi Friday.
At present, agriculture workers in the central sphere are paid as per the rates prescribed under the national floor level minimum wage, which is 160 rupees per day.
On benchmark minimum wage across the country, the Labour Minister said, the government is going to get amendment in Minimum Wages Act, which will be called universal minimum wage.
At present, the states are free to fix wages for various category of workers as there is no benchmark minimum wage which is applicable across the country. After the amendment, the states will have to maintain a benchmark minimum wage fixed by the Centre.
Mr Dattatreya also said, the ministerial panel on labour, chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has set up a committee of secretaries to come up with a report on social security for anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and mid-day meal workers following which the government will finalise its social security cover for them.