State to ensure minimum wages

The West Bengal government would ensure minimum wages to workers in 53 occupations in the unorganised sector in the state, the minister for labour Md Amin said yesterday.

Replying to questions in the state Assembly, Amin said that there was no estimate of the number of unorganised workers in West Bengal, adding that 5.35 lakh of them were covered under the provident fund scheme.

Amin said that in the last year, the state government had spent Rs 8 crore in funding the PF scheme by way of giving a matching contribution of Rs 20 per month per worker.

On the Central government's PF scheme, which was to be implemented by the regional provident fund commissioner, Amin said the previous government had worked out the details.