Port Blair, Apr 06: Mr. B Chandrachoodan, General Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Union, A&N State Committee has requested Lt. Governor to direct his concern over the wrong calculation of Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) for minimum wages to the scheduled employment in A&N Islands.
In a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Mr. Chandrachooodan mentioned that the minimum wages for unskilled workers are only Rs. 507 per day whereas Notification No. 1-4 (3)/2022-LS-II dated 31.03.2022 of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), GoI, Ministry of Labour & Employment indicates that the minimum wages of unskilled workers of B category area are Rs. 553 (437 minimum wages and 116 VDA) for the same period.
He stated that the Minimum wages were fixed by the A&N Administration vide Notification dated 11th December 2017 based on the minimum wages fixed by the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) Rs. 437 as minimum wages for unskilled workers. While the Chief Labour Commissioner has revised the VDA and fixed minimum wages as Rs. 553 per day for unskilled workers. But the Labour Commissioner, A&N Administration has fixed it as Rs. 507 for the same category of worker.
Mr. Chandrachoodan mentioned that the central government has fixed the VDA as Rs. 116 for unskilled workers but the A&N Administration has allowed only Rs.70 per day to the same category of workers which is 46 rupees short of what the workers are legally entitled. Due to this wrong calculation of VDA by the Labour Commissioner, A&N Islands, the workers are losing a good amount per month.
He requested Lt. Governor to direct the authorities concerned to re-examine the issue and implement the orders of the GoI in the matter by adding the VDA of Rs. 116 to the minimum wages of Rs. 437 for the unskilled workers and accordingly to other categories of workers and render justice to thousands of workers working both in government and private sector in these Islands.