Mamata enhances wages of daily wage earners in state
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced an increase in the minimum wages of daily wage earners in the state.
The wage revision has been announced under the West Bengal Urban Employment Scheme, as a result unskilled labour will now get a minimum wage of Rs 202 per day, against the current Rs 144 per day. The minimum wage for semi-skilled labour has been revised from Rs 172 per day to Rs 303 per day.
A new category of skilled labour has been introduced with a minimum daily wage of Rs 404.
Banerjee announced over Twitter, “500 workers (40,500 unskilled, 8000 semi-skilled, 8000 skilled) will benefit from this. These wages are in parity with rural workers’ enhanced pay (MNREGA unskilled and semi-skilled). Budget provision for this step has been made available for both FY21 and FY22.”
The announcement came just before the Code of Conduct came into effect in the state, due to the announcement of assembly elections in the state.