HYDERABAD: Labour Minister G. Vinod has agreed to order an inquiry into allegations that certain garment manufacturing units and textile showrooms in the twin cities were not paying minimum wages to their workers.

Replying to supplementaries by P. Janardhan Reddy (Congress) during Question Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday, the Labour Minister admitted that workers in the unorganised sector were not being paid minimum wages.

He said workers in the beedi industry, cinema halls, farm labourers and those employed in shops and business establishments were denied statutory wages. More than 1.50 crore persons working in the unorganised sector were suffering because the existing laws were not being enforced strictly.

The Minister had a tough time fielding questions from Congress members on the issue. All he could say was that he would obtain the relevant information from the officials and pass it on to the members. Not convinced, Mr. Janardhan Reddy insisted that the Minister list out the names of the companies, that had violated the law. Chada Venkat Reddy (CPI) wanted the Minister to convene a meeting of trade union leaders to discuss the issue.

Ex gratia enhanced

Home Minister K. Jana Reddy said ex gratia for victims of naxalite violence was enhanced.

In response to a question on compassionate appointments for the families of naxal violence victims by Anam Vivekananda Reddy (Congress) and others, Mr. Jana Reddy said the ex gratia for families of legislators killed by Maoists was increased to Rs. 15 lakhs, Rs. 10 lakhs for District Cooperative Central Bank chairmen and Rs. 7.50 lakh for Mandal Presidents and Zilla and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency members.

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