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Pooja, Lovely Professional University Unit 11: Minimum Wages Act, 1948

Unit 11: Minimum Wages Act, 1948 Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction

11.1 Minimum Wages and ILO
11.2 Fixation of Minimum Wages in India
11.3 Minimum Wages Act, 1948: Its Objectives

11.4 Fixation and Revision of Minimum Wages
11.5 Minimum Rates of Wages
11.5.1 Procedure for Fixing and Revising Minimum Wages
11.5.2 Advisory Board
11.6 Payment of Minimum Rates of Wages

11.7 Powers of the Government
11.8 General Remarks
11.9 Summary

11.10 Keywords
11.11 Self Assessment
11.12 Review Questions
11.13 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
Discuss Minimum Wages Act, 1948
Describe objectives and Government control on the Act

Introduction

The philosophy of labour laws, including the Minimum Wages Act, is that industry is for man
and not man for industry. Industry should, therefore, exist to make life good and comfortable.
Work in industry should be an integrated part of happiness. Employers are, therefore, under an
obligation, call it economic or social, to provide their employees safe, healthy and comfortable
living, employment and working conditions. It is only when they failed to honour this obligation
that the Government stepped in, to safeguard the interest of workmen by enacting suitable
legislation. This has happened all over the world, and in India also, the Government has recognised
its duty to undertake legislation to protect workers from being exploited. If the employers had
given a fair deal to their workers, the question of legislative intervention by the Government
would not have arisen.

The conception of minimum wages is based on the principles of equity and social justice. Its
underlying idea is that “he who works is entitled to a fair remuneration, which may enable him

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