Proposal to hike minimum wages under consideration: Punjab minister

Chandigarh, Mar 21 (PTI) A proposal to increase the minimum wages in Punjab is under consideration, Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said on Friday. He was responding to a question during the opening day of the Budget Session of Punjab Assembly here.

Responding to a question by MLA Kulwant Singh regarding whether there is any proposal under consideration of the government to increase the minimum wages in Punjab in view of the continuously rising inflation, Sond said such a proposal is indeed under consideration.

He explained that minimum wages are increased in two ways. "One way is that the adjustment of minimum wages is done twice a year on March 1 and September 1, according to the increase or decrease in the consumer price index (CPI). Accordingly, the last increment/revision was on September 1, 2024 and the next increment/revision will be from March 1, 2025, which will be done in a few days," the minister added.

He further said that the other way is to increase the base rate of minimum wages.

He expressed optimism this increase would take place within this year, making 2025 the new base year for minimum wages. He further highlighted that the last revision of the base rate was carried out in 2012, and now, with 2025 as the future base year, the minimum wages will be revised accordingly.

Sond informed the House that the Punjab Labour Department had adjusted minimum wages for factory workers in the state from September 1, 2024, based on the CPI.

As per the revised wages, unskilled workers' wages were fixed at Rs 10,996 per month, semi-skilled workers' Rs 11,776 per month, skilled workers' Rs 12,673 per month and highly skilled workers' Rs 13,705 per month.

Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the state government is rationalising canal water distribution to ensure that water reaches tail-end areas and districts receiving less canal water.

He said the government has increased water allowance (canal water allocation per thousand acres) by 50 per cent from two cusecs to three cusecs in many districts to ensure that areas with higher groundwater extraction receive canal water on a priority.

He was responding to a question of Dharamkot MLA Davinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose regarding providing canal water and constructing water courses in his constituency.

The minister said water allowance in many districts is six to eight cusecs, while in districts like Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala and Mansa, it is only two cusecs.

As a result, the groundwater is being extracted in larger quantities in these districts, he said. PTI CHS MNK MNK

Source: PTI