Port Blair, Nov. 1: CITU has reiterated its demand for immediate revision of minimum wages for scheduled employment in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.  In a letter sent to the Lt Governor, A & N Islands, B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary, CITU A & N State Committee, referring to his earlier letters on the subject, has stated that the minimum wages was last revised in 2017 with effect from 1.1.2018. Though the revision was due from 1.1.2023, the Administration intentionally delayed the process of revision and the proposal is still pending with the Administration. CITU General Secretary told the Lt Governor that the recommendation of the Chairman of the Minimim Wages Advisory Committee was submitted long back and the file is reportedly shuttling from one office to other, thereby delaying the revision of minimum wages for the last 10 months.  

Chandrachoodan pointed out that the minimum wages for the unskilled workers in Delhi is Rs. 673 per day after adding the DA which was due from 1st October, 2023. In Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the minimum wages for the unskilled workers is Rs. 538, a difference of Rs. 135 per day.  It is regretted to say that the DA for the period from January to June, 2023 has also not been added to the existing minimum wages which is also being delayed intentionally by the authorities concerned, he added.  

CITU in the letter stated that the daily rated workers working in the islands are facing difficulties to pull on the days due to ever increasing prices and not revising their wages for the last 6 years. CITU has been continuously requesting the Administration to revise the minimum wages of schedule employment so that these workers will get some benefit, but the Administration continues to neglect the request and the workers continue to remain denied of their lawful wage increase.