A three-day Indian Labour Conference would be organised in New Delhi from July 20 to discuss labour issues, including the minimum wage and new amendments to the Labour Act. This was informed by Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the conference besides launching the portal and logo of National Career Counselling Centres. The conference would be attended by trade unions and representatives of industry and labour ministers of various States, he said.

The Union Minister said that there was a demand from different trade unions to finalise minimum wage as Rs 15,000 per month. However, he said that the decision was laid with the State governments as they are the implementing authority. He said that social security of workers and implementation of labour laws would also be discussed.

According to the minister, 989 employment exchanges across the country are being modernised and upgraded as National Career Counselling Centres. The minister also informed that the government would fill up 8,000 paramedical personnel posts in ESI hospitals through private agencies.

In a letter written to all the Chief Ministers and LGs, Bandaru Dattatreya urged them to take necessary steps for fixation or revision of the minimum rates of wages in respect of all scheduled employments in State and Union Territories not below the National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) of Rs 160 per day with effect from July 01, 2015.

The minister also emphasised on ensuring implementation of various provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 so that the objective of ensuring minimum wages to workers would be fulfilled. While reviewing the movement of Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) during April 2014 to March 2015 between April 2012 and March 2013, it was observed that the average CPI-IW was risen from 215.17 to 250.83, he said.