LS passes Bonus Bill; benefits to accrue from April 2014
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill allowing doubling of wage ceiling
for calculating bonus to Rs 7,000 per month for factory workers with
establishments with 20 or more workers, with the benefits being
applicable retrospectively from April 2014.
The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by a voice vote,
with some members objecting to the raising of eligibility limit for
payment of bonus from a salary of Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000.
Replying to a debate on the legislation, Labour Minister Bandaru
Dattatreya said the Government has ensured that the interest of workers
are protected and there is no infringement on their justifys.
“Because of Bihar Elections this bill got delayed… The Prime Minister
spoke to me and asked why should the benefits of this Act should accrue
to workers from 2015. It should be made available from the April 2014,”
he said while moving an official amendment to the Bill.
PENSION CALCULATORS FOR CG PENSIONERS
The official amendment provides that the benefits of the Act would be
deemed to have come into force on April 1, 2014, instead of April 1,
2015.
Dattatreya said the Ministry has held 21 tripartite meetings with all central trade unions while arriving at a decision.
The Bill provides for enhancing monthly bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000 per month from the existing Rs 3,500.
It also seeks to enhance the eligibility limit for payment of bonus from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000 per month.
“The Government’s paramount intention is to safeguard the interest of
workers… There is no infringement of workers’ justifys and whatever the
government does will be in the interest of workers,” Dattatreya said.
After the bill was passed, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was in the
Chair, said the government should be congratulated for bringing the
measure as also for effecting the benefits retrospectively.
Source: DDI News
The
Lok Sabha has approved amendments to the Payment of Bonus Act that
seeks to make more workers eligible for bonus by raising the monthly pay
eligibility limit of employees to Rs 21,000 from Rs 10,000.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
