What are the Objectives of the Minimum Wages Act 1948?

The rationale behind the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is to empower the Central Government and State Governments to fix minimum wages in certain employments so as to prevent the exploitation of the labor class which is usually unorganized, by the capitalist class. The objectives of the Act are as follows:

• To provide for fixation of minimum wages in scheduled employments.
• To provide for periodical revision of minimum wages so fixed.
• To provide for a summary procedure for recovery of the balance with penalty and subsequent prosecution of the employer who pays less than the minimum wages fixed by the Government.
• To provide for the appointment of Advisory Committees and Boards having equal number of representatives of both employers as well as workers.