Demand for minimum wage threshold for bank transfer

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) A demand to fix a minimum threshold for payment of wages of a worker into a bank account was made in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, K S Elangovan (DMK) said wages higher than 10,000 or Rs 15,000 per month should only be credited to the bank account and any less than that can be paid in cash.

This will help end the inconvenience caused to workers who have to go to far of places and stand in queues for withdrawal of their daily wages, he said.

He cited the example of workers in tea gardens of Valparai in Tamil Nadu which has only three ATMs.

The workers in Valparai, he said, have to forego a days’ wage if they have to go to an ATM to withdraw their Rs 8,000 per month of salary.

“Wages beyond a minimum threshold alone should be credited to bank accounts… may be Rs 10,000 or Rs 15,000 (per month),” he said.