State to provide financial subsistence to construction workers: Rajasthan tells SC

New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI): Rajasthan Government has informed the Supreme Court that its building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, has granted financial and administrative sanction to authorities concerned for minimum wages to construction workers who are rendered idle due to prohibition on construction activity pursuant to the order of the top court in NCR region of the state of Rajasthan.
"That, the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, state of Rajasthan granted financial and administrative sanction to Joint Labour Commissioner, Alwar and Joint Labour Commissioner, Bharatpur for an amount to Rs 50 lakhs each for payment of minimum wages to construction workers who are rendered idle due to prohibition on construction activity pursuant to the order of this court in NCR region of State of Rajasthan," Rajasthan Government said, in its affidavit.
"As per the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, and the notification dated 30.07. 2021 unskilled workers are to be paid rupees 252/- per day or Rs. 6552 per month, semi-skilled workers are to be paid Rs. 264/- per day or Rs. 6,864/- per month and skilled workers to be paid Rs. 276/- per day or Rs. 7176/- per month," the affidavit said.
Some parts of the Alwar and Bharatpur district in the state of Rajasthan fall within the NCR region.
The affidavit further stated that in Alwar, four construction entities have given details of 198 workers who are rendered idle pursuant to the curb on construction activity in the region, the details of the same are verified by the district collector and once the verification process is done these workers are to be paid minimum wages as per the directions of this Court.
As per the details submitted by 13 entities, in attested Notary Public, Alwar 15 Dec 2021, Bharatpur district, engaged in construction activity, a list of 69 workers who are rendered idle due to prohibition on the construction activity, the affidavit said.
The details are being verified by the office of the District Collector and completion of verification the workers are to be paid. Further, identification and verification of construction workers who are rendered idle are ongoing and once they are identified the payments are to be made to them, Rajasthan Government apprised the Court.
"It is respectfully submitted that the answering respondent is bound to comply with all orders and directions passed by this Court and to take all steps to comply with the directions of this Court in letter and spirit and within the time frame as directed by this Court," the affidavit said.
The affidavit was filed in pursuance of the court's direction seeking an affidavit from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh mentioning compliance with the order directing payment of minimum wages to workers during the period of construction ban.
The apex court was hearing pleas seeking immediate measures to curb pollution in the city. (ANI)