According to the report, officials asked the ILO for assistance in enhancing data gathering capabilities and proving the beneficial effects of living wages on the economy.
With assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to develop a framework for calculating and operationalizing these payments, India is getting ready to move from the minimum wage to a living wage by 2025, according to Economic Times.
According to the report, officials asked the ILO for assistance in enhancing data gathering capabilities and proving the beneficial effects of living wages on the economy.
Let’s examine the definitions of minimum, fair, and living wages.
Describe Minimum Wage.
The term “minimum wage” refers to the lower base of pay that a company must give an employee. Employers are prohibited from paying less than the minimum wage, particularly where it is determined that the amount to be paid on an hourly basis.
The minimum wage in India varies from one state and one city to another. It ranges from Rs 22 to Rs 50 per hour in different states. Bihar’s minimum pay is Rs 49.37 per hour, while Maharashtra’s basic minimum salary for unskilled laborers is Rs 62.87.
The unorganised sector, whose workers do not get the minimum wage set by their individual states, employs the largest number of people in India. They receive cash payments, thus there is no way to track down the exact amount of money they are paid, unlike salaried employees who have their wages deposited into a bank account. These factors frequently result in the minimum wage’s requirements not being satisfied.
A Fair Wage: What Is It?
The range of a fair salary is between minimum wage and living wage. Although it is more than the minimum wage, it is still insufficient to maintain a level of life. The maximum amount that a fair wage should be decided by the industry’s financial capacity to pay.
What Is Living Wage?
The living wage, which is defined as the minimal income required for an employee to meet their basic needs while accounting for important societal expenses like housing, food, healthcare, education, and clothes, was revealed by senior officials, according to an ET Report. The living wage was also supported earlier this month by the ILO. “We could go beyond minimum wages in a year,” he continued, indicating that they would be greater than the federal minimum wage.
Beyond meeting one’s fundamental necessities, a living wage also provides a worker’s family with increased stability and certainty. It covers social expenses for things like housing, food, clothes, healthcare, and education.