NEW DELHI: In a major relief to daily wage workers, the city government raised the dearness allowance for skilled and semi-skilled labourers on Friday. With the latest revision in the dearness allowance the monthly wages for unskilled labourers have been raised from Rs 16,064 to Rs 16,506 per month. Similarly, the wages for semi-skilled labourers have been increased from Rs 17,693 to Rs 18,187 per month.
The minimum monthly wage for non-matriculated workers was increased from Rs 17,693 to Rs 18,187 and for matriculate employees, from Rs 19,473 to Rs 20,019. For graduates and those with higher educational qualifications, the monthly wage has been hiked from Rs 21,184 to Rs 21,756, the Dehi government said in a statement. The minimum wages were last revised by the Delhi government in last November.
‘‘The move will benefit unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and other workers in all scheduled employment under the aegis of the Delhi government,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said regarding the hike in wages of workers. “These steps have been taken in the interest of the poor and working-class, who have suffered disproportionately due to the pandemic. This order shall also benefit those in clerical and supervisory jobs.” Minimum wages in Delhi are the highest in comparison to any other state, Sisodia added. The Left affiliated CITU, meanwhile, said the increase in minimum monthly wages was “too little”.
Alleging that the AAP dispensation has “shown insensitivity towards the trade unions and the working class”, it said the announcement was an act of ‘‘shameless advertising and theatrics on policy decisions which are too little.” How can the labourers be given “less than 1 per cent hike” when “prices of most of the daily use items have increased by 40-50 per cent”, it asked.