This is the second expert panel on wages in the last two years (File)
Amid reports that the constitution of an expert group to provide technical inputs and recommendations on fixation of minimum wages and national floor wages to the government is a ploy to delay the exercise, the centre has clarified that the group will submit its recommendations "as early as possible".
The central government has constituted an expert group - headed by Professor Ajit Mishra, Director of the Institute of Economic Growth - to provide technical inputs and recommendations on fixation of minimum wages.
"It has come to the notice that certain section of the Press and some of the stakeholders have opined this as an attempt to delay the fixation of Minimum Wages and National Floor Wages by the Government.
"This is clarified that Government does not have any such intention and the Expert Group will submit its recommendations to the government as early as possible," read a statement from the Labour Ministry.
The group, which will have a tenure of three years, will also look into the international best practices and evolve a scientific criteria and methodology for wage fixation.
The group held its first meeting on June 14; the second round is scheduled for June 29.
Others in the group are Tarika Chakraborty from IIM Calcutta, Anushree Sinha, Senior Fellow from NCAER, Vibha Bhalla, Joint Secretary (Labour Ministry) and H Srinivas, Director General of V V Giri National Labour Institute.
This marks the second expert committee on minimum wages formed by the government in the last two years.