Government of West Bengal
Office of the Labour Commissioner 6,
Church Lane, 4th floor, Kolkata – 700001.
No.: 414 /Stat/2RW/16/94/LCS/JLC Dated: 05.06.2017
CIRCULAR
The following shall be the minimum rates of wages in the employment of Agriculture in the state of West Bengal as per Labour Department Notification number 461-MW/2W-02-2008 Dated 22.09.2011 These rates will be effective for the period from 01st July, 2017 to 31st December, 2017.
Categories of Employees Minimum Rates of Wages (in Rs.) Per Month (Without food) (Rs.) Per Day (Rs.)
Without food With food
Unskilled 5962.00 229.00 213.00
Semi-Skilled 6558.00 252.00 236.00
Skilled 7216.00 278.00 262.00
The classification of employees is as follows:-
Unskilled Workers: All types of workers involved in sowing, weeding, harvesting, winnowing, threshing including Munish Mali and helpers on Agricultural field; Semi-Skilled Workers: Workers involved in ploughing (Langla), transplanting, head mali, supervisor; Skilled Workers: Workers involved in power tilting, tractor driver and persons handling machines relating to ploughing and other cultivation work;
(a)There will be only one rate of minimum wage for the whole of West Bengal; (b) To arrive at daily rates,monthly rates will have to be divided by 26 and to arrive at weekly rates, daily rates will have to be multiplied by 6; (c) A normal working day shall consist of eight and half hours of work including interval for half-an-hour for rest; (d) One day in any period of seven days as may suit the local convenience shall be the day of weekly rest; (e) The minimum rates of wages include the wages for weekly day of rest. Payment for work done on the day of weekly rest and for work done beyond the normal working hours shall be double the ordinary rate of wages; (f) Where the existing rates of wages of any employee based on contract or agreement or otherwise are higher than the rates notified herein, the higher rates shall be protected and treated as minimum rates of wages applicable for the purpose of this notification to such employees; (g)The minimum rates of wages are applicable to employees employed by contractors also; (h)The minimum rates of wages for disabled persons shall be same as payable to the workers of appropriate category; Contd……..P/2.
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(i) The men and women employees shall get the same rates of wages for the same work or work of similar nature; (j) The minimumrates of wages and Variable Dearness Allowance, if any, both constitute the minimum rates of wages and shall be enforceable under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948); (k)Where the practice of payment partly in cash and partly in produce is prevalent, the total value of produce supplied plus the cash wages paid shall not be less than the minimum wages.
(Samir Kumar Basu) Joint Labour Commissioner, West Bengal.
MEMO. NO. 414/1(4)/Stat/2RW//16/94/LCS/JLC. Dated: 05.06.2017
1. The Additional Chief Secretary, Labour Department, New Secretariat Buildings, 12th floor, 1, K.S. Roy Road, Kolkata – 700 001. 2. The Labour Commissioner, W.B., N.S. Bldgs., 11th floor- with reference to his kind approval dated 01.06.2017. 3. The Secretary (Central Trade Unions/All Chambers of Commerce)……………………………with request to circulate this among his constituents. 4. The Joint/Deputy/Assistant Labour Commissioner……………………………with the request to circulate this among the Inspectors, M.W. under his jurisdiction.
(Samir Kumar Basu) Joint Labour Commissioner, West Bengal.
