Industries oppose Labour Dept plan to hike minimum wage; govt may call stakeholders' meeting soon
Bengaluru: Karnataka government has decided to review Labour Minister Santhosh Lad’s plan to hike the minimum wages of over 1.7 crore employees in 84 different companies owing to pressure from the company managements.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also recently assured the industries that no hurried decision would be taken in the matter without consulting the managements, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
The government has proposed minimum wages in the range of Rs 31,114 to Rs 23,276 for unskilled labourers across three zones (zone 1 – Bengaluru Urban and BBMP limits, zone 2 – city corporations and district headquarters and zone 3 – regions except zones 1 and 2.)
The two-month window period given by the government to receive objections to the draft notification ended on June 25 and up to 160 industries, including the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association, the Adani Group and the Karnataka Employers’ Association, are learned to have raised objections, telling the Labour Department that the proposals were ‘too steep’.
Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the state government following a petition filed by the Nanjappa Hospitals-Shivamogga taking objection to the notification. The government has responded with an assurance to the HC that representatives of industries would be consulted before taking any action regarding the wages. The HC, however, has said that the petitioners are free to move the court to seek appropriate relief in the matter.
Trade unions, on the other hand, have welcomed the government’s notification in principle, but they have also sought wages higher than the government’s proposal by citing the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the landmark Reptakos Brett Case of 1991, where the apex court emphasized the importance of a fair wage and the need to protect established benefits.
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and the All India Central Council of Trade Unions have asked for minimum wages in the range of Rs 40,410 to Rs 33,902 for unskilled workers in zones 1-3 based on present-day prices of food, clothing and shelter.
In accordance with the Mandate of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Labour Department has decided to urge the government to call a meeting of the Minimum Wages Advisory Board, which includes representatives of unions, managements and government officials in equal numbers, to finalize the prices. The file is reportedly likely to reach the government within the next couple of days.
Sources in the Department, however, have said that the stiff opposition from the industries remains a hurdle for the government’s plan to take a quick decision. Minister Lad too is learned to have said that the due procedure would be followed and a Minimum Wages Advisory Board meeting would be held within a month to take a decision after consulting opinions of all stakeholders.
AITUC State Secretary Satyanand Mukund has also asked the government to take a decision soon as the window period has ended.
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KSRTC MD Akram Pasha receives SKOCH National Award for transparent recruitment initiative
Bengaluru : The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been conferred the prestigious SKOCH National Award 2025 for its initiative on “Transparent Recruitment and Training Programme.”
The award was presented at a ceremony held at Silver Oak Hall, India Habitat Centre, on March 28.
According to a release from the state-run corporation, the award recognises its efforts in ensuring transparency and uniformity across its recruitment process, from application submission to final selection and unit allocation, by minimising human intervention.
“The corporation has implemented a technology-driven recruitment system featuring automated driving tests, online examinations, digital document verification, webcasting, and auto-generated scorecards,” KSRTC added.
It also stated that KSRTC has successfully recruited 2,000 drivers and conductors, 300 technical staff, and 441 candidates under compassionate grounds.
In addition, over the past six months, more than 12,000 employees have undergone structured training programmes, contributing to improved organisational performance and capacity building.
The SKOCH Group, a Delhi-based independent think tank established in 1997, has been presenting the SKOCH Awards since 2003, recognising excellence in governance, finance, technology adoption, transparency, and institutional development based on measurable impact.
The award was received by Akram Pasha, Managing Director of KSRTC, from Sameer Kochhar, Chairman of SKOCH Group, and Gursharan Dhanjal, Vice Chairman, at the ceremony.
