Centre stalling wage hike for workers: Govt

New Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday addressed a `Shramik Samvad' at Talkatora Stadium to highlight his

government

's proposal to hike minimum wages of labourers.

The Delhi government had on August 15 announced a nearly 50% hike in minimum wages in varying degrees--from Rs 11,622 to Rs 17,033 for skilled labourers, and from Rs 9,568 to Rs 14,052 for unskilled labourers.

Labour minister Gopal Rai blamed the LG. “The LG is delaying the process for the workers to get their wages. Why is the Centre stalling the working class' demands? If there are some amendments to be made, we are ready for it but the LG must approve the wage hike,“ Rai said.

Kejriwal said that instead of the trickle-down theory practised by the previous governments, the

AAP

government had decided to give the workers their dues directly. “No other state in the country has increased the wages by this margin. In fact, this is probably the biggest increment of wages since Independence,“ the CM said.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said AAP was voted to power by the labourers and it would fight for their rights till it's in power.

Kejriwal said inflation was making survival difficult for the common man so his government decided to increase the wages. “Earlier those who didn't give the labours their wages were fined Rs 500, but now, we have made the penalty severe and anyone found not paying wages to labours will be jailed for three years,“ said Kejriwal.

But not everyone was happy. Workers' Unity Centre of India (WUCI) submitted a memorandum, asking for the hike to be set at Rs 22,000.

“The majority of the workers still don't get minimum wages, which shows how they're being exploited. Minimum wages and other labour laws should be strictly implemented by the government,“ said Sachin of WUCI.