TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ A bill, under which specified industrial units will have to pay salaries and wages to workers only either through cheques or by electronic transfer to their bank accounts, was passed by the Lok Sabha today.
“The initiative is aimed at promoting the welfare of workers,” Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said, adding that the legislation was aimed at bringing transparency, promoting digital economy and timely payments of wages to workers.
The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill 2017, which was passed by a voice vote, enables the Centre and states to specify the industries which will come under the ambit of the new provision for which the Government had brought an Ordinance in December, he said, observing that the bill was a tribute to the memory of Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
During a discussion on the bill, MPs from almost all political parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress and TDP supported the measure but came down hard on the government for taking the Ordinance route to bring the provision, saying it was the result of “post demonetisation syndrome”.
