Social activist Swami Agnivesh today slammed the Centre's decision to hike National Floor Level Minimum Wages, terming it as a "farcical" exercise.
"The government's decision to hike National Floor Level Minimum Wages from rupees 137 to rupees 160 per day is nothing but a farcical exercise. It is highly misleading as most of the people do not know the difference between National Minimum Wage and National Floor Level Minimum Wage.
"While the worker is concerned with what minimum wage he gets, government is making news on something called 'floor level minimum wage' which is less than the statutorily fixed minimum wage," Agnivesh said in a statement.
After a gap of two years, the government had on Tuesday hiked the minimum wage for workers by Rs 23 to Rs 160 a day. The increased wages will be applicable from July 1.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatraya had said that the decision to revise upwards the National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) has been taken in view of the increase in retail inflation for industrial workers.
Bandhua Mukti Morcha (Bonded Labour Liberation Front) which was founded by Agnivesh, has been demanding that the National Minimum Wage for the country's 93 per cent workers in the unorganised sector should be equal to the wages of a Class IV employee in the Central government as recommended by the 6th Pay Commission.
"The government should also set up a National Minimum Wage Commission as they have been setting up Pay Commissions for its employees," the forum demanded.
