Mangaluru: The Karnataka government is taking steps to revise minimum wages for workers across the state, with a proposed minimum of Rs 19,000 at the taluk level, Rs 21,000 at the district level and Rs 23,000 in Bengaluru, Karnataka Minimum Wages Advisory Board chairman and KPCC general secretary T.M. Shahid Thekkil said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the Mangaluru Press Club, Thekkil said the process of revising wages had encountered legal challenges, with some parties approaching the court and securing a stay.
The issue of minimum wages has been the subject of recent proceedings before the Karnataka High Court. The state had issued a notification revising minimum wages for scheduled employments, with the rates varying according to employment category and geographical zone.
Proposed wage structure
According to Thekkil, the government is working towards a revised wage structure under which workers would receive a minimum of Rs 19,000 at the taluk level, Rs 21,000 at the district level and Rs 23,000 in Bengaluru.
The figures cited by Thekkil represent the proposed wage levels and should be distinguished from the notified rates, which vary according to scheduled employment and skill categories.
Thekkil said legal proceedings had affected the implementation process and that the government was taking steps to address the issues surrounding the revision.
Thekkil urges focus on development
During the press conference, Thekkil called upon BJP leaders to give greater attention to development-related issues rather than focusing on religious and emotional matters.
He urged the Opposition to offer constructive suggestions on the government’s development initiatives and said political parties should focus on issues affecting people’s livelihoods and the state’s economic interests.
Thekkil also referred to criticism of the Congress government’s guarantee schemes. He claimed that schemes criticised by the BJP in Karnataka had subsequently been introduced in other states.
He further alleged that Karnataka was not receiving what it was entitled to in terms of its share of GST and grants for gram panchayats. He urged BJP leaders in Karnataka to put pressure on the Union government to address these issues.
Praise for Mangaluru Cabinet meeting
Thekkil welcomed the Karnataka Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru on September 18, describing the decisions taken at the meeting as positive for the coastal region.
He particularly welcomed the decision to grant Tulu the status of a second additional administrative language and the approval of several development projects for the coastal region.
Thekkil said the decisions demonstrated the government’s attention to issues raised by Dakshina Kannada and other coastal districts.
Claims over development projects
Thekkil credited Congress governments with several major development initiatives in Dakshina Kannada, including Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) and Mangaluru International Airport.
He alleged that BJP leaders had subsequently taken credit for some of these assets while referring to their sale or privatisation.
Thekkil also criticised former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, alleging that adequate development works were not carried out in Dakshina Kannada during his tenure.
He further claimed that several Union ministers and BJP leaders from the district had not done enough to secure development projects for the region.
Reference to Sadananda Gowda’s tenure
Referring specifically to Sadananda Gowda’s tenure as chief minister, Thekkil said a Cabinet meeting could not be held in Dakshina Kannada during that period.
In contrast, he pointed to the Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru under Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and said the approvals announced at the meeting reflected the Congress government’s commitment to the coastal region.
Thekkil said the government’s approach should be assessed through the development projects and policy decisions taken for the region.
Karnataka Arebhashe Culture and Literature Academy chairman Sadananda Maje, along with party leaders Suresh Amai, Ramaiah, Rakshith Goonadka, Radhakrishna, Nasir Samanige and Hemanath, were present at the press conference.