The Delhi Government has issued advisory to all the head of departments (HODs) to strictly enforce new rates of minimum wages in the city, Delhi labour Minister Gopal Rai said on Monday. In an advisory issued on Monday, the labour ministry asked the principal secretaries, secretaries, and the heads of departments of the Delhi government to “ensure that workers/employees engaged in their respective department through contractors are paid wages on time”. It also issued a warning of punishment against employers and contractors if they choose to breach the act.
“Any violation of these provisions attracts prosecution/challans under the relevant provisions of labour laws both against the principal employer as well as the contractor,” it read. The decision is taken to ensure that the workers will get minimum prescribed wages in New Year, Rai said adding that strict action will be taken against officials, heads of the departments for failing to ensure compliance to the laid down rules.
The Government had formed nine teams of labour department on December to conduct raids at different locations across the city. In the 10-day special drive carried out by the Delhi Government which concluded recently, as many as 182 government and private institutions were inspected and of these, 165 were found to be violating the minimum wages rules. Following the violations, the department swung in action and decided to keep a close vigil on such violations, a senior Delhi Government official said.
“The decision to inspect institutions was taken after many such complaints were brought to notice of the department. We planned this move to deter owners and contractors and to aware general public against such exploitation,” he said.