The State Government has revised the minimum wage for workers after over three years.
Ignoring the demand of major trade unions of the State to enhance the wage to Rs 334, the State Government increased the minimum daily wage of agricultural workers (non-ploughing) from Rs 92.50 to Rs 126. Agricultural workers who are engaged in the job of ploughing land will now get Rs 150 per day.
According to a notification of the Labour and Employees State Insurance Department, the minimum wage for 83 schedule employments has been increased. The minimum wage for unskilled workers has been increased to Rs 150 and it is Rs 170 for semi-skilled, Rs 190 for skilled and Rs 205 for highly skilled workers in the non-agricultural sectors.
The minimum wage was revised last time in July 2009. The prevailing wage for unskilled workers is Rs 90, Rs 103 for semi-skilled workers, Rs 116 for skilled workers and Rs 129 for highly skilled labourers.
The workers are entitled to get a special allowance of Rs 2.50 a day after every two years or on each 50-point increase in the national consumer index.
After taking into consideration the public objections and recommendations of the Odisha State Minimum Wage Board, the government decided to implement the revised wages, said a senior officer.
Prior to the last wage revision, the minimum wage for the four categories of workers were Rs 70, Rs 80, Rs 90 and Rs 100 respectively. The revised wage will benefit more than 1.25 crore people in 83 scheduled employment organisations.
The revised wage will come into affect from the date of gazette notification.
The issue was also raised during the monsoon session of the Assembly. Members, cutting across party lines, had demanded immediate announcement of revised minimum wages for daily workers stating they are underpaid.