Facing flak from the trade unions, including the pro Government Central Trade Union BMS, the Centre has clarified on Saturday that the expert group chaired by economist Ajit Mishra will submit technical inputs and recommendations on fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages to the government “as early as possible”.

The trade unions, cutting across political affiliations, had told Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar that the new group is an attempt by the Centre to delay announcement of minimum wages. “The workers across the country are feeling cheated today as the government has not been able to bring about a change in minimum wages in the last seven years and another three years for the completion of this report would mean an end of the incumbent government’s current tenure as well,” BMS general secretary Binoy Kumar Sinha said in a letter to Gangwar.

The Centre reiterated on Saturday that the tenure of the expert group is three years. “It has come to the notice that certain sections of the press and some of the stakeholders have opined this as an attempt to delay the fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages by the government. ​This is clarified that government does not have any such intention and the expert group will submit its recommendations to the government as early as possible,” the Ministry said in a statement.

It added that the tenure of the expert group has been kept as three years so that even after the fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages, Government may seek technical inputs/advice from the expert group on minimum wages and national floor wages, as and when required.

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