Delhi CM Atishi announces hiked minimum wage for unorganised sector workers

Delhi chief minister Atishi on Wednesday, 25 September announced Rs 18,066 in minimum wage for unskilled, Rs 19,929 for semi-skilled, and Rs 21,917 for skilled workers in the unorganised sector, ahead of the upcoming festival season.

In her first press conference after taking charge as the Delhi CM, Atishi said that under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP government implemented minimum wages for city labourers which were "highest" in the country.

The new rates of minimum wages will be applicable from 1 October, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

Other rates of revised minimum wages were Rs 21,917 for matriculate workers and Rs 23,836 for graduate workers, it said.

Atishi accused the BJP of being "anti poor" and claimed that the minimum wages in states ruled by the saffron party were "perhaps half of what was being paid in Delhi."

She said the Kejriwal government not only implemented minimum wages through court, but also ensured its revision twice every year, despite obstruction by the BJP.

"The people who get minimum wages are from the poor class, they are labourers. The BJP has always worked against the poor and when Kejriwal government talked about increasing the minimum wage in Delhi in 2016-17, the BJP stopped it through its LG," she charged.

Kejriwal government fought and got a decision from the court in the interest of the common people. Now, the minimum wages are revised twice in a year, according to announcement of dearness allowance for government employees, she said.

Before the Kejriwal government came to power in 2013, the minimum wage for unskilled workers in Delhi was Rs 7,722. It was Rs 8,528 for semi-skilled and Rs 9,388 for the skilled, she said.

Delhi Labour minister Mukesh Ahlawat said the Delhi government led by AAP has always tried to give a better life to the people and will continue to do so in future.