Enforcement/ implementation of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1973

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

LOK SABHA

ANSWERED ON: 25.04.2016

M. B. RAJESH

Will the Minister of

LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government is aware that women are paid lesser wages than men for the same work from small businesses to large organisations in the unorganized sector and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is satisfied with the enforcement/ implementation of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1973 which provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for work of similar nature;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(d) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) to (c): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the wages fixed by the appropriate government are equally payable to both male and female workers and the Act does not discriminate on the basis of gender.

The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for same work or work of similar nature without any discrimination. In the Central sphere, the enforcement of the act is entrusted to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) who heads the Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM). In cases where the State Government are “appropriate Government”, the enforcement of provisions of Equal Remuneration Act is done by the State Labour Departments.

Central Government is monitoring the implementation of the Act. As per the information received from the State Governments, during the three year period from 2011-12 to 2013-14, total of 1,51,715 inspections were conducted and 3397 prosecutions were launched and at the Central Sphere, during the period from 2012-2013 to 2015-16, a total of 10367 inspections were conducted and 2308 prosecutions were launched against those found violating the Act.

(d): Effective Enforcement of Labour Laws has been emphasized by the Ministry through sensitization at Regional Labour Conferences, Communication to all Chief Ministers and the Chief Secretaries of States and issuing of Circular to the States for better enforcement of labour laws. Also, the Ministry is running a Grant-in-aid Scheme for the welfare of women labour. Projects relating to awareness generation campaigns for women labour are funded under this Scheme. The focus of the Scheme is awareness generation among women labour about their rights/duties particularly in the area of wages, like minimum wages, equal remuneration, etc and also to disseminate information on various schemes of Central/State Government Agencies available for the benefit of women labour.