Kathmandu, Nov 9: The government has fixed minimum wages for workers employed in all types of projects and programmes carried out through public procurement.
The Public Procurement Workers’ Remuneration and Social Security Procedure, 2083, has come into effect, incorporating provisions on social security, insurance, occupational safety and worker welfare.
Under the procedure, unskilled support workers must receive a minimum daily wage of Rs 1,450. Including social security contributions, with the government and employer each contributing 10 per cent, their total daily remuneration will amount to Rs 1,740.
Similarly, intellectual and professional workers must receive a minimum daily wage of Rs 1,750, rising to Rs 2,100 with social security contributions.
For specialist team leaders with more than 15 years of experience, the minimum daily remuneration, including social security, has been set at Rs 10,080, equivalent to Rs 262,080 a month.
The Public Procurement Monitoring Office introduced the procedure. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development has described it as a major step towards protecting the rights and ensuring social security for workers engaged in public procurement.
In addition to the prescribed minimum wages, employers must provide festival allowances, leave and other benefits equivalent to those available to government employees.
The procedure applies to construction, procurement of goods, consultancy services and other services purchased under the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
It covers public entities entering into procurement contracts, contractors, subcontractors, labour suppliers and businesses or institutions supplying goods, information technology and other services to government agencies.
The procedure also defines the responsibilities of labour welfare units, local governments and Employment, Skills and Entrepreneurship Centres. Public entities are required to regularly monitor whether workers receive the prescribed wages and benefits.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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