Lt Governor Jung returns file on hiking minimum wages

New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung had returned the Delhi government's file on hiking minimum wages in the city -- highlighting the escalating tension between the two sides.

"On a day when 18 crore workers are on strike, Modi's LG returns file on minimum wages," Kejriwal tweeted.

Radiologists and nurses from across the nation are on strike demanding hike in their basic pay.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government last month approved the revision of minimum wages by about 50 per cent in the national capital.

After the cabinet's approval the minimum wages in Delhi for unskilled workers will increase from Rs 9,568 to Rs 14,052 per month, while for semi-skilled worker it will rise from Rs 10,582 to Rs 15,471, and skilled worker from Rs 11,622 to Rs 17,033.

After the cabinet's approval the file was sent to Lt. Governor for his nod.

Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai had also met Jung over the issue and said the LG returned the file citing some errors in it.

"I met LG today (Friday) and he told me that there were some errors in the minimum wages file so he returned it and asked us to submit it again," Rai told reporters after the meeting.

He added: "The LG had agreed with the government's decision to increase the minimum wages in the national capital."

Rai added that he would submit the file to Jung on the same day.

"I have called an emergency meeting of officials of the department over the issue. We will again send the file to LG after doing away with the errors today (on Friday) itself," Rai added.