Reacting to the move of the Chandigarh Administration to extend the Minimum Wages Act to employees whose wages so far have been determined under the Collector (DC) rates, former Union Minister and local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal has demanded that the Administration should ensure that wages fixed under the Minimum Wages Act should not be less than the DC rates. Bansal alleged that the Chandigarh Administration has directed the Advisory Board, which ought to function independently, to convene a meeting and pass certain resolutions to this effect. Bansal also questioned the timing of the move to reconstitute the Minimum Wages Advisory Board before the expiry of its term as the present Board is scheduled to meet on March 28, 2018. 

          Bansal reiterated that besides wages, various allowances also should be extended to the employees of the Administration, its Organizations/ bodies and the Municipal Corporation. He said that the wages must be paid for the whole year including holidays and wages, perks facilities etc. should be commensurate with the long duty hours & nature of work. Wages are mandated to be fixed for 8 hours' work and as such official organizations should pay overtime rates etc. according to the recognized norms.