Punjab Government enhances the minimum monthly wages of work charged employees

Lahore: Punjab Government has issued notification to enhance the minimum monthly wages of work charged employees of the government departments of the province on the intervention of Ombudsman Punjab Javaid Mahmood.

According to notification issued, work charged employees would get minimum amount of Rs. 12000/ in place of Rs. 9000/ as monthly salary.

Ombudsman Punjab has also disposed of the complaint filed by the work charged employees of Irrigation Department on the subject.

According to details, work charged employees of Mankera Division, Irrigation Department Khoshab, lodged a complaint to Advisor Ombudsman Punjab Khoshab Asifa Gull that Punjab Government, during Annual Budget speech, announced to enhance minimum monthly wages of workers @ Rs. 12000/ but they are being paid the wages @ Rs. 9000/ which is old one.

Ombudsman Punjab Javaid Mahmood directed Advisor District Khoshab Asifa Gull to probe the issue. It was revealed during the course of inquiry that the announcement could not be matured as notification was required to proceed further.

Ombudsman Punjab Office issued notices to Secretary Finance Punjab on October 09 & 18, 2014. Secretary Finance in its replies dated October 29 & December 11, 2014, ensured that the required notification will be issued soon and process in this regard is started. On the intervention and regular follow up of Ombudsman Punjab Office, Provincial Government issued notification of Approval of Revised Schedule of Wages Rates 2015 and provided the copy of the notification to Ombudsman Punjab who disposed of the complaint accordingly.

As per revised schedule of Wages Rates, work charged employees of all provincial departments would get minimum monthly salary @ Rs. 12000/  raising the same from Rs. 9000/.

Ombudsman Punjab Javaid Mahmood has said that the notification should have been issued soon after the announcement made during budget speech. He asked the authorities to look into the maladministration and inefficiency of the concerned as work charged employees remained deprived of the fruits of the announcement of enhancement of wages since 7 months due to non issuance of notification.