New Delhi, February 13 TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Friday urged the government to introduce a legally binding minimum wage for workers across all sectors.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the House, the TMC MP said that one in three young people are unemployed, and there is no minimum wage guarantee even for those who have jobs.
He stated that the national minimum wage effectively remains at around Rs 176 per day.
Derek emphasized that low wages depress consumption and trap workers in poverty.
"Therefore, the solution I am proposing is a single, legally enforceable, universal minimum wage, below which no worker can be paid, regardless of sector, contract type, or location," he said.
Derek further stated that as the Union government "loves acronyms," he has also come up with one.
"We should also come up with a name for this. Universal, Minimum, Annual National Guarantee – UMANG," he said.
The TMC MP said that certain points should be kept in mind if UMANG is introduced. Establish a binding national minimum wage under the wage law, index it to inflation, simplify the rates and categories for easy compliance.
"This must apply to all types of workers – contract workers, gig workers, and most importantly, to the unorganized sector, where the problem lies," he said.
In her Zero Hour mention, Rekha Sharma (BJP) spoke about the importance of institutional memory in the functioning of statutory commissions.
These commissions, she said, play a crucial role in safeguarding the rights of people, addressing grievances, advising governments, and formulating policies.
Meenakshi Jain (nominated) expressed concern over the increasing incidents of vandalism at protected heritage sites.
Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan (J&KNC) expressed concern over the threat to Kashmir's horticulture industry due to harmful agro-chemicals and apple imports.