11/13/2010 Minimum wages should be fixed: Sonia

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13 Nov 2010 12:04:23 AM IST More

Minimum wages should be fixed: Sonia

Sonia Gandhi writes letter to Manmohan Singh and expressed concern over minimum wages.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has intervened into the issue of Minimum Wages and written a letter to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, expressing her concerns.

Panini Anand
Special correspondent

The United Progress Alliance (UPA) Chairperson and National Advisory Council (NAC) chief has advocated timely
payment of minimum wages under Employment Guarantee Act. In her letter, Sonia mentioned that rules under
Minimum Wages Act, 1948 should be strictly followed.

Sonia Gandhi made it clear that the matter is ‘urgent’ in nature and is also related to various ministries. She expressed
hope that the Prime Minister will look into the matter and will issue necessary guidelines in this regard.

National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy and two other members Jean Dreze and Harsh Mandar have welcomed
the step taken by the UPA chairperson. They said that for the past few months there have been widespread protests
against non payment of minimum wages to the labourers, which is also a violation of basic rights.

It would not be inappropriate to mention here that minimum wages being paid under NREGA in 19 states are less than
what is prescribed minimum wage in these states. In this connection many leading advocates and former Supreme
Court judges have drawn the attention of the Union Government that non- payment of minimum wages under Minimum
Wages Act 1948 is an act of non seriousness. They have said that this is also a violation of labour laws. Photo Gallery

The National Advisory Council members have strongly put up the matter of minimum wages before the UPA
chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The opinion of Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaisingh has also been considered. Indira Jaisingh, while referring to
several rulings of the High courts and the Supreme Court told the NAC that violation of minimum wages under the
Minimum Wages Act, 1948 cannot be justified under any circumstances.
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In her letter, the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has attached these guidelines and the suggestions made at the NAC
meeting.

It would be appropriate to mention here that an indefinite protest is underway since October 2 in Jaipur against the non
payment of minimum wages under NREGA.

Besides this, a public lecture on the issue of minimum issue was also held at Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi on
Friday. Victoria's Secret... Rama The...
In a response to a question whether Sonia Gandhi’s letter to the PM has become prestige issue for NAC, Harsh
Mandar said that it would be too early to comment. He said that the ball is in Prime Minister's court and final call be
taken by him only. "It will be interesting to see Prime Minister's response over Sonia's letter."

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11/13/2010 Minimum wages should be fixed: Sonia

Aruna Roy and Harsh Mandar have emphasised that if minimum wages under government programme like NREGA
cannot be ensured then how shall government ensure minimum wages to the workers in country’s organised and
unorganised sectors. They also added that if minimum wages cannot be ensured then how other privileges and Most Popular Top Rated
entitlements of the workers will be met.

Many worker organizations from different parts of the country took part in Friday’s public lecture. A resolution was also Robert Louis Stevenson remembered on
passed at the end of the lecture, which expressed concern over minimum wages, corruption in NREGA, transparency 160th birth anniversary
and responsiveness in government’s functioning and matters concerning workers rights. several Leftist leaders and
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seniour journalists took part in Friday’s conference.
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