The AAP government’s ambitious proposal to hike minimum wages by 50 per cent hit a bump on Friday with lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung returning the file.
The AAP government’s ambitious proposal to hike minimum wages by 50 per cent hit a bump on Friday with lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung returning the file. Terming the 13-member wage fixation committee set up by the AAP dispensation without his prior approval as “illegal”, the L-G asked the AAP dispensation to re-look the proposal.
Labour minister Gopal Rai, who met Mr Jung at Raj Niwas on Friday, said the government sent the file relating to formation of new committee to L-G for his approval. He also said that the move will lead to a delay in implementation of new minimum wages rules in the national capital, as Mr Jung will leave for the US tomorrow on a 10-day visit.
Mr Rai, however, claimed that the L-G has in-principle agreed with the proposed 50 per cent hike in minimum wages, the proposal of which was sent by the Delhi government on August 24 for his nod. In April, Mr Rai had formed a 13-member committee on revision of minimum wages in Delhi, which last month recommended a 50 per cent hike in minimum wages for all category of workers — unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled.
Earlier in the day, attacking Mr Jung for returning the file, Mr Kejriwal said “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s L-G” has returned file on minimum wages at a time when 18 crore workers are on a nation-wide strike. “On a day, when 18 crore workers are on strike, Modi’s L-G returns file on minimum wages,” Mr Kejriwal tweeted.
Mr Rai said, he had requested the L-G to give post facto approval to the government-appointed minimum wages fixation committee as he had done in the past, “but the L-G did not relent and declared the committee as illegal”. On L-G’s advice, we had sent today the file pertaining to formation of new committee. If the L-G gives his nod, the new committee will give recommendation on revision of minimum wages,” the labour minister said.
