7th Pay Commission DA hike update! Variable Dearness Allowance hiked for 1.5 crore central sphere workers, check details of revised wages here

New Delhi: The Labour Ministry has recently revised the minimum wages (variable dearness allowance) applicable for scheduled employment in the central sphere. The hike, which is effective from October 1, will benefit about 1.5 crore workers.

The VDA is revised on the basis of average Consumer Price Index for industrial workers (CPI-IW) a price index compiled by Labour Bureau (an attached office of Ministry of Labour & Employment). The average CPI-IW for the months of January to June, 2021 was used for undertaking the latest Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) revision.

"At a time when the country is struggling with COVID-19 pandemic, in a major relief to different category of workers engaged in various scheduled employments in the central sphere, the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India has notified and revised the rate of Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) with effect from 1.10.2021," the Ministry of Labour & Employment issuing a statement had said.

Here is the table on Rates of wages for different categories of employees

Schedule employment	Category of employees	Rate of wages including Variable Dearness Allowance Area wise per day (in Rupees)
		A	B	C
Construction or maintenance of roads or runways or building operations etc.	Unskilled	654	546	437
	Semi-Skilled/Unskilled Supervisor	724	617	512
	Skilled/Clerical	795	724	617
	Highly Skilled	864	795	724
Sweeping and Cleaning	--	654	546	437
Loading and Unloading workers	--	654	546	437
Watch and Ward	Without Arms	795	724	617
	With Arms	864	795	724
Agriculture	Unskilled	417	380	377
	Semi-Skilled/Unskilled Supervisor	455	419	384
	Skilled/Clerical	495	455	418
	Highly Skilled	547	509	455

Here is the table on Rates of wages For Mines employees

Category	Above Ground	Below Ground
Unskilled	437	546
Semi-Skilled/Unskilled Supervisor	546	654
Skilled/Clerical	654	762
Highly Skilled	762	851

Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Labour & Employment, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, said that this will benefit around 1.5 crore workers engaged in various scheduled employment in the central sphere across the country i.e. (a) Construction, maintenance of Roads, Runways, Building operations etc.; (b) Sweeping and cleaning; (c) Loading and unloading; (d) Watch and ward; (e) Mines & (f) Agriculture and said that this is in line with Prime Minister’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” and this increase will be effective from 1st October, 2021.