MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948
A tripartite Committee Viz.,"The Committee on Fair Wage" was set up in 1948 to
provide guidelines for wage structures in the country. The report of this
Committee was a major landmark in the history of formulation of wage policy in
India. Its recommendations set out the key concepts of the `living wage',
"minimum wages" and "fair wage" besides setting out guidelines for wage
Article 39 states that the State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards
securing (a) that the citizen, men and women equally shall have the right to an
adequate livelihood and (b) that there is equal pay for equal work for both men
Article 43 states that the State shall endeavour, by suitable legislation or
economic organisation or in any other way, to give all workers, agricultural,
industrial or otherwise, work, a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent
standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure, and social and cultural
Enactment of the Minimum Wages Act
* The initiative started with the resolution placed by one Shri K.G.R.Choudhary in
1920 for setting up Boards for determination of minimum wages in each industry.
* The International Labour Conference adopted in 1928 Convention No.26 and
Recommendation No. 30 relating to wage fixing machinery in trades or parts of
* On the recommendation of the Standing Labour Committee and Indian Labour
Conference, a Labour Investigation Committee was appointed in 1943 to
investigate into the question of wages and other matters like housing, social
conditions and employment.
* A draft bill was considered by the Indian Labour Conference in 1945.
* The 8th meeting of the Standing Labour Committee recommended in 1946 to
enact a separate legislation for the unorganised sector including working hours,
minimum wages and paid holidays.
* A Minimum Wages Bill was introduced in the Central Legislative Assembly on
11.4.46 to provide for fixation of mi