Parliament Question: Minimum Wages to Workers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4115 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 MINIMUM WAGES TO WORKERS †4115. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH OLA:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to

state:

(a)whether there are regular reports of non-payment of wages/salaries to their employees/workers by the contractors/firms;

(b)if so, the number of complaints received in regard during the last five years and the current year, State-wise;

(c)whether it is a fact that such contractors/firms don't even pay the minimum wages to their employees/workers and if so, the details of the number of such cases came into cognizance of the Government along with the action taken against such firms;

(d)the details of the number of such complaints against which challans have been issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Court under Minimum Wages Act, 1948 during the last five years and the current year, State-wise; and

(e)the details of the number of such cases in which full payment of wages/salaries has been made as post-complaint resolution during the last five years and the current year, State-wise? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (e): The Central Government and the State Governments are appropriate Governments to enforce the provisions of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, and the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, in their respective jurisdictions.

contd..2/-::2::

In the Central sphere, enforcement is done through the Inspecting Officers of the office of Chief Labour Commissioner

(Central), commonly designated as Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) and the compliance in the State sphere is ensured through the State enforcement machinery.

The designated inspecting officers conduct regular inspections and in the event of detection of any case of non-payment or underpayment of wages/ minimum wages, they direct the employers to make payment of the shortfall of wages. In case of non- compliance, penal provisions prescribed under sections 17A and 20 of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 and section 22 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 are taken recourse to.

The details of number of complaints received in respect of non-payment of Salaries by the Contractor/ Firms, the number of such complaints where challans were issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Court under Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and number of such cases in which full payment of wages/ salaries was made as post-complaint resolution during the last five years and the current year, in the Central sphere, is mentioned at Annexure. However, details of enforcement in respect of the State sphere are not maintained centrally.

* ******Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4115 for 18/08/2025 regarding “Minimum Wages to Workers” by Shri Brijendra Singh Ola.

Year No. of complaints/ claims No of complaints out No of such received regarding payment of said complaints cases where of salaries by the contractor where challans have full salary has or firm been issued in the been paid post metropolitan complaint/ Magistrate Court claim under Minimum resolution Wages Act, 1948 2020-21 2859 102 1346 2021-22 3222 125 1347 2022-23 3698 111 1618 2023-24 4240 132 2451 2024-25 2680 90 1680 2025-26 (Till 1192 44 397 July,2025) *Data submitted by all 20 regions *****