Workers in rural areas get low wages despite a G.O. to raise them, says union

Members of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Labour Union affiliated to AITUC on Thursday staged a protest in Madurai demanding better wages for the workers, as part of a State-wide protest.

The workers who were employed in rural areas, including sanitary workers, health workers, computer operators, overhead tank operators and others demanded better wages.

The workers were receiving wages much below the mandatory minimum wages, said P. Kalidasan, Madurai district head of the union. He said that a government order to raise the wages was passed. But, even after seven years, the G.O. has not been implemented in letter and spirit. Hence, the workers were still languishing for want of better pay.

The workers were receiving wages as low as ₹5,000 per month when the minimum wage was around ₹12,500, he said.