NEW DELHI: The city government has increased the minimum wages for unskilled workers/labourers. The new rates for unskilled labourers will be Rs 18,066 from the previous Rs 17,494, semi-skilled workers will be Rs 19,929 from Rs 19,279 and skilled workers will be Rs 21,917 from Rs 21,215 earlier.
“The Delhi government has once again decided to increase the minimum wage in Delhi. Delhi has the highest minimum wage in the entire country. With the new rates applicable from October 1, the minimum wage for unskilled workers has now increased to Rs 18,066, semi-skilled workers to Rs 19,929 and skilled workers to Rs 21,917," Delhi CM Atishi said on Wednesday.
"On one hand, there are BJP-ruled states where the minimum wage is half that of Delhi. On the other hand, there is Arvind Kejriwal’s Delhi where the government takes every necessary step to give a respectable life to the common man,” she added.
Sharing the data of minimum wages in BJP-ruled states, CM Atishi said that the minimum wage for unskilled workers in Delhi is more than Rs 18,000, while the minimum wage for unskilled workers in Rajasthan is only `8,063, Rs 10,000 in Madhya Pradesh, Rs 8,300 in Uttar Pradesh, Rs 10,000 in Haryana, Rs 10,900 in Chhattisgarh. The minimum wage in the Delhi government is the highest in comparison to the whole country.
Atishi said for the last 10 years, the AAP-ruled government has tried to give a better life to the common people of Delhi. Whether it is 24-hour electricity, the cheapest electricity in the country, excellent government schools, free tests and medicines in Mohalla Clinics, free treatment by building world-class hospitals, free pilgrimages for the elderly or free bus travel for women, she listed.
“AAP government brought an order from the court and started increasing the minimum wage and put a provision in it that, just like the salary of government officers increases twice a year due to DA, it is necessary to increase the minimum wage twice a year,” she added.
CM Atishi further shared, “BJP strongly opposed it but Arvind Kejriwal’s government, as always, fought and got a decision from the court in the interest of the common people.”
Over 12 pending CAG reports could be tabled in the Delhi assembly session on 26-27 September. The L-G Secretariat has written in this regard to Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Finance Secretary Ashish Chandra Verma asking them to lay the reports in the Assembly after bringing the matter to the attention of Chief Minister Atishi. ENS