With the beginning of the new financial year, the District Rate Determination Committee has changed the wages of workers in the district. The committee under the District Administration Office has increased the wages of daily wage laborers after the market became more expensive. According to the rate determined by the committee, the daily wages of all skilled and unskilled workers in all sectors have increased.
Article 34 of the Constitution of Nepal provides for the right to labor. Sub article (1) of the same article stipulates that ) Every laborer shall have the right to fair labor practice In sub-article (2) it is stipulated that every laborer shall have the right to appropriate remuneration, facilities and contributory social security
For the past two years, wages for full-day laborers in the district had remained the same. However, in the financial year 2023/2024, there has been an increase of nearly ten percent in these wages. This increase applies to daily wage workers across government, private, and non-governmental sectors. Specifically, wages for professions such as carpenters and masons have risen by a hundred rupees. Workers previously earning 1000 rupees per day will now receive 1100 rupees.
Chief District Officer Shambhu Prasad Regmi has stated that as per Rule 148 of Chapter 15 of the Public Procurement Regulations 2064, the District Rate Determination Committee has raised the wages of workers. Specifically, the daily wage for daily wage laborers has been increased from Rs 715 to Rs 780 . Additionally, the wage for Labor Leader has been raised from Rs 800 to Rs 880. Similarly, porter’s per day has been increased from Rs 740 to Rs 810, house wiring from Rs 825 to Rs900, nursery naike from Rs 600 to Rs 660, forest watcher from Rs 600 to Rs660, social worker from Rs 800 to Rs 880, skilled plumber from Rs 800 to Rs 880 rupees has been determined.
Similarly, there has been an increase in the rates of building construction materials, roof construction materials, drinking water and bathroom construction materials, dyeing materials, well and toilet materials, and transportation materials. However, the rates for iron construction materials, road construction materials, wood, plywood and lead materials, hardware construction materials, electrical materials, tools, and equipment have remained unchanged.
Chief District Officer Regmi said that the rates of some have been fixed and some have been increased as per the need.He further said that business will be conducted as per rate determined by the committee and any anyone found exploiting the market price for personal gain or exploiting labor with low wages will face legal action according to the law.
In the case of agricultural and livestock products produced in the district, it has been decided to maintain the rate according to the approved departmental standards of the concerned department and the approved district rates of the neighboring districts.
The workers are happy after the increase in wages this year which has not increased for two consecutive years.