Write short notes on the following under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. a) Objective of the Act. b) Fixation and Revision of Minimum Wages.

a) Objective of the Act:

The Minimum Wages Act, 1948, was enacted with the primary objective of safeguarding the interests of workers by ensuring that they receive fair and remunerative wages for their labor. The Act aims to address issues of exploitation and inequality in the labor market by setting minimum wage standards that employers must adhere to. The key objectives of the Act include:

1. Protecting Workers: The Act seeks to protect workers, particularly those in vulnerable and unorganized sectors, from exploitation by employers who may pay them wages below subsistence levels.

2. Promoting Social Justice: By establishing minimum wage standards, the Act aims to promote social justice and equity by ensuring that workers are fairly compensated for their contributions to economic production.

3. Preventing Exploitation: The Act aims to prevent the exploitation of labor by prohibiting employers from paying wages that are inadequate to meet the basic needs of workers and their families.

4. Ensuring Decent Living Standards: Minimum wage standards are intended to provide workers with a decent standard of living, including access to food, shelter, clothing, education, healthcare, and other essential needs.

5. Encouraging Productivity and Efficiency: By ensuring that workers receive fair wages, the Act aims to promote productivity, efficiency, and overall economic development by motivating workers to perform better and contribute more effectively to the economy.

6. Reducing Poverty and Inequality: The Act contributes to poverty alleviation and inequality reduction by lifting the incomes of low-wage workers and narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Overall, the objective of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, is to establish a legal framework that promotes social justice, protects workers' rights, and ensures that all workers receive wages that are adequate to sustain a decent standard of living.

b) Fixation and Revision of Minimum Wages:

The fixation and revision of minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, involve a systematic process aimed at determining fair and remunerative wage rates for different categories of workers. The key aspects of fixation and revision of minimum wages include:

1. Tripartite Committees: The Act provides for the establishment of tripartite committees, known as Minimum Wages Advisory Boards, at the central and state levels. These boards consist of representatives from the government, employers, and workers' organizations.

2. Factors Considered: The Minimum Wages Advisory Boards take into account various factors when fixing or revising minimum wage rates, including the skill level of workers, the prevailing cost of living, regional variations, inflation, and socioeconomic conditions.

3. Scheduled Employments: The Act categorizes different industries and occupations into "scheduled employments," each of which is subject to its minimum wage rates. The minimum wages may vary across scheduled employments based on factors such as the nature of work and skill requirements.

4. Revision Period: The Act requires periodic revision of minimum wages to account for changes in economic conditions and cost of living. The revision period may vary from state to state but typically occurs every few years.

5. Notification and Enforcement: Once minimum wage rates are fixed or revised, they are notified by the appropriate government authorities through official gazette notifications. Employers are legally obligated to comply with these notified minimum wage rates and ensure that workers are paid wages at or above the prescribed rates.

6. Compliance and Monitoring: Government agencies responsible for labor administration are tasked with monitoring compliance with minimum wage laws and taking enforcement actions against employers who violate wage standards. Workers are also empowered to file complaints or grievances regarding non-payment or underpayment of minimum wages.

In summary, the fixation and revision of minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, involve a consultative process aimed at determining fair wage rates for different categories of workers, ensuring compliance with legal standards, and promoting social justice in the labor market.