Dattatreya Urges Telangana to Raise Minimum Wages, Calls Current Revision Insufficient

Bandaru Dattatreya, the former Governor and former Union Labour Minister, has voiced strong opposition to Telangana's recent minimum wage revision, describing it as insufficient for the state's working population.

In comments made in Hyderabad, Dattatreya highlighted that workers have endured a 14-year gap since the last substantial wage adjustment. Despite this extended wait, he contended that the government's latest revision amounts to little more than a token gesture, failing to address the realities of contemporary economic pressures.

The former minister pointed to substantial increases in costs across essential services. Education, healthcare, housing, and transportation expenses have all risen considerably in recent years, he noted, creating genuine hardship for working families.

Dattatreya has put forward a comprehensive wage structure that he believes would better serve the state's workforce. His proposal sets minimum wages at Rs.22,000 for unskilled workers, Rs.27,000 for semi-skilled workers, Rs.31,000 for skilled workers, and Rs.36,000 for highly skilled workers.

According to Dattatreya, approximately 1.2 crore workers across Telangana merit compensation packages that provide both dignity and financial stability. He emphasized that wage frameworks should accurately reflect the mounting expenses that workers and their families face in their daily lives.

The BJP leader contended that prosperity at the state level holds little value if workers do not share in the benefits of economic expansion. He characterized labourers as fundamental to the state's economic functioning, arguing they have been instrumental in driving Telangana's development trajectory.

Dattatreya called on the government to prioritize worker-focused approaches when undertaking wage revisions. He maintained that equitable compensation remains essential for enhancing quality of life and strengthening social welfare protections for the working population throughout Telangana.