Biratnagar, July 31

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista today said labourers would receive minimum wage fixed by the government.

Speaking at an interaction organised by Joint Trade Union in Biratnagar, Bista held that the minimum wage as mandated by the Labour Act would come into effect soon and urged workers not to cast doubt over implementation of the act.

In this regard, Minister Bista said the government had made it compulsory to pay employees through banking channel after workers complained they were paid low wages. “Paying wages through banking system will ensure implementation of minimum wages,” he added.

The government has fixed the minimum wage at Rs 13,450 in consensus with trade unions.

Minister Bista claimed that the government had increased the wages of workers by 39 per cent for the first time in Nepal’s history.

“The government has set the minimum wage at Rs 16,000 including social security and other facilities,” Bista stated. He claimed that minimum wage was increased to enable workers to manage their livelihood.