Port Blair, May 11: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma today expressed gratitude towards the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the A & N Administration for granting 1/30th of minimum pay plus Dearness Allowance to the remaining left out daily rated workers who have been engaged for regular nature of work but not against sanctioned posts vide Admn’s order No.1283 dated 9th May 2023, referring to the policy decision of Andaman and Nicobar Administration vide Office Memorandum No.286 dated 22.09.2017.
He mentioned that this decision to provide enhanced wages has certainly caused great financial relief to around 3500 daily rated workers engaged in various departments, organizations and autonomous bodies of Andaman and Nicobar Administration who were anxiously and desperately waiting for more than 5 ½ years to get paid on the principle of “Equal Wage for Equal Work”.
He pointed out that as regard to granting of enhanced wages to the remaining left out daily rated workers covered under A & N Administration O.M. 286 dated 22.09.2017 with immediate effect i.e. from 09.05.2023, the same need to re- examined as these left out Daily Rated Workers are continuously being engaged by the respective employers of Administration for carrying out regular nature of work much prior to 01.09.2017 i.e. the cutoff dated fixed by the Administration for conferring enhanced wages and are thus atleast eligible to receive enhanced wages from 01.09.2017.
The Member of Parliament had earlier made the above request vide letters of even dated 22.03.2023 bearing reference no. MP/ANI/Genl (Mail)/2023 /033 ; MP/ANI/Genl (Mail)/2023 / 034 and MP/ANI/Genl/2021/329 dated 11.11.2021 addressed to the Lt. Governor and other authorities of A & N Administration on the basis of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India judgement for providing “Equal Pay for Equal Work” brought out by the Government of India vide DoPT, OM No.49014/1/2017-Estt (C) PF dated 4th September 2019 referring to the promulgation made at Sl.No.(iv) of the DoPT OM No.49014/2/86-Estt dated 07.06.1988 which states “Where the nature of work entrusted to the casual workers and regular employees is the same as casual workers may be paid at the rate of 1/30th of pay at the minimum of the relevant pay scale plus dearness allowance for work of 8 hours a day”.
The Member of Parliament has once again requested the Lt. Governor to fulfill the legitimate right of these 3500 odd leftover Daily Rated Workers working prior to 01.09.2017 by restoring 1/30th of wages at minimum of relevant basic pay of the post plus Dearness Allowance retrospectively from 01.09.2017 instead of 09/05/2023 being the date recognized by the A&N Administration from which these Daily Rated Workers are engaged for regular nature of work as mentioned in the instant Order No.1283 dated 09.05.2023.
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