FAQ about Wages Section 1. What are the activities of Wages Section? Under the Non‐Plan scheme, Wages Section is engaged in collection, compilation and dissemination of Labour Statistics under Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Payment of Wages Act, 1936. Reports are compiled on the basis of Annual Returns/Reports received from various State Governments/Union Territories. Labour Statistics are supplied to various agencies which include Parliament of India, ILO, CSO, DGFASLI, etc. Besides, the data is also published in various publications of Labour Bureau viz. ILJ, ILYB, Pocket Book of Labour Statistics and ILS, etc. 2. What is Minimum Wage? In the unorganised sector, where labour is vulnerable to exploitation due to illiteracy and lack of effective bargaining, Minimum Wages are fixed by the Competent Authorities. 3. Who fixes the Minimum Wages? As per the Act, the Minimum Wages are fixed by the appropriate Government, which means (i) In relation to any scheduled employment carried on by or under the authority of the Central Government or a railway administration or in relation to a mine, oilfield or major port or any corporation established by a Central Act, the Central Government and (ii) In relation to any other scheduled employment, the State Government. 4. What is the scheduled employment? Scheduled employment means an employment specified in the schedule appended to the Minimum Wages Act or any process or branch of work forming part of such employment. Minimum wages are not to be fixed in respect of any industry in which there are less than 1,000 employees in the whole State. 5. What comprises Minimum Wages? Minimum Wages comprises basic wages and dearness allowance. Some State Governments are paying dearness allowance as a separate component while others are paying consolidated wages only. 6. What are the publications of Wages Section? Annual Report on the Working of Minimum Wages Act, 1948. The Reports up to the year 2010 have already been published. The Report for the year 2011 is under finalisation. 7. What is the range of minimum wages? Wages section is publishing the Annual Report on the Working of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 for unskilled workers employed in various scheduled employments on the basis of the Annual Returns/Reports received from the State/Central authority as these authorities are competent to fix or revise minimum wages in various scheduled employments for skilled/semi‐skilled/un‐skilled workers.