Industrialists in Punjab have severely criticised the state government’s recent announcement of raising minimum wages with retrospective effect, saying they are unable to implement the new wages in the wake of the current financial crisis.
“How can the government expect us to increase the minimum wages, that too with retrospective effect from September 1, 2008, under the current situation?”asked AK Kohli, senior vice-president, Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters.
“Exporters, industrialists and others, who are already under heavy pressure of the current economic slowdown, do not feel comfortable in this situation, whereas the same has been published in the Punjab Govt Gazette on January 7,” he added.
Industrialists, traders and exporters have already paid salaries and wages for September, October, November, and December 2008. They have already submitted ESI & PF Returns and deposited their contribution in the government treasury for the said months, he added.
But implementing the said notification will definitely create huge problems in accounting, he said.
This will not only increase the additional paper work but there is going to be a huge resentment among the industrialist of Punjab about the successful implementation of the notification retrospectively, he said.
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“The Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters, Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders Association, and other industry associations of the state have appealed to the chief minister, demanding amendment to the date of implementation of the notification,” said Gursharan Singh, president, Federation of Jalandhar Industrial & Traders Association.