Lok Sabha Q&A on revision of the Variable Dearness Allowance

Shri Rameswar Teli, Minister of State, Ministry of Labour and Employment have given a statement showing increased rates of wages on account of revision in VDA from 01.04.2021 to 01.10.2021 The minister was replying to a question in Lok Sabha on deferring mandatory increase in minimum wages for a year. The minister stated that the minimum wage revision will not be postponed. Every five years, the government revises the fundamental rates of minimum salaries for employees in Scheduled jobs in the Central Sphere. Section 3 (1) (b) of the Minimum Wages Act of 1948 specifies this. In 2017, the basic rate of minimum wages for scheduled jobs in the Central sphere was last updated. Furthermore, in order to protect minimum wages from inflation, the Central Government adjusts the Variable Dearness Allowance (V.D.A) on basic rates of minimum wages every six months, beginning on April 1st and ending on October 1st of each year, based on the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW). The most recent revision was made on October 1, 2021.

The minister had given the following statement showing increased rates of wages on account of revision in VDA.

*Employees engaged in the employment of Sweeping and Cleaning excluding Activities prohibited under the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.

^#Employees engaged in the employment of Loading and Unloading in (i) Goods Sheds, Parcel Offices of Railways; (ii) Other Goods Sheds, Godowns, Warehouses and other similar employments; (iii) Docks and Ports; and (iv) Passengers Goods and Cargo Carried out at Airports (Both International and Domestic).

^{^}Employees engaged in the employment of construction or maintenance of Roads or Runways or in Building Operations including laying down Underground Electric, Wireless, Radio, Television, Telephone, Telegraph and Overseas Communication Cables and similar other Underground Cabling Work, Electric Lines, Water Supply Lines and Sewerage Pipe Lines.

^$Employees engaged in the employment of Gypsum Mines, Barytes Mines, Bauxite Mines, Manganese Mines, China Clay Mines, Kyanite Mines, Copper Mines, Clay Mines, Magnesite Mines, White Clay Mines, Stone Mines, Steatite Mines (including the mines producing Soap Stones and Talc), Ochre Mines, Asbestos Mines, Fire Clay Mines, Chromite Mines, Quartzite Mines, Quartz Mines, Silica Mines, Graphite Mines, Felspar Mines, Laterite Mines, Dolomite Mines, Red Oxide Mines, Wolfram Mines, Iron Ore Mines, Granite Mines, Rock Phosphate Mines, Hematite Mines, Marble and Calcite Mines, Uranium Mines, Mica Mines, Lignite Mines, Gravel Mines, Slate and Magnetite Mines.