New Delhi: The Delhi government on Friday raised minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and other categories of workers in all scheduled employment, with effect from April 1 this year, by raising their dearness allowance, which will increase their minimum wages by at least Rs 600 to Rs 800 per day. "These steps have been taken in the interest of the poor and working class, who have suffered disproportionately due to the current pandemic. This order shall also benefit those in clerical and supervisory jobs," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday while releasing the order. The Deputy CM, who is also the Nodal Minister for Covid in Delhi, added that every section of the society had been adversely affected due to the pandemic and that the increasing prices of daily essentials such as oil and pulses had only made matters worse for the people. "I hope that this increase in wages will provide some relief to our labour brethren," he said, before adding that Delhi currently provides the highest minimum wages in comparison to any other state. The order to raise the dearness allowance amount for workers from the Delhi governments Labour Department said that the government had adjusted for the average All India Consumer Pricing Index for the period between July to December last year, which had increased by 11.79 points. Following this, and as per the consequent adjustments, the new dearness allowance rates were fixed. According to the order, the monthly minimum wage for unskilled workers was raised from Rs 15,492 to Rs 15,908; the same for semi-skilled workers was raised from Rs 17,069 to Rs 17,537 and for skilled workers, this was raised from Rs 18,797 to Rs 19,291. The new dearness allowance for these categories of workers will be Rs 416, Rs 468 and Rs 494 respectively. Sisodia said, "People in the unorganised sector who are employed on minimum wages should not be deprived of dearness allowance. Factoring in the dearness allowance, revised rates of minimum wages have been announced." In addition to this, the minimum wages for supervisory and clerical employees in all scheduled employment have also been increased. Under this, the monthly minimum wages of non-matriculates has been raised to Rs 17,537; the same for matriculate-educated workers without a graduate degree has been raised to Rs 19,291 and for workers who are graduates, the monthly wages have been raised to Rs 20,976. Sisodia said, "Although we have had to cut down on many expenditures, keeping in mind the interests of our working class, this decision has been taken".

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