Now Reading: Bombay HC rules BMC health volunteers must get minimum wages
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Bombay HC rules BMC health volunteers must get minimum wages
The Bombay High Court on August 13 dismissed petitions by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) challenging a 2020 order that community health volunteers (CHVs) are entitled to minimum wages under the Minimum…
The Story in Brief
The Bombay High Court on August 13 dismissed petitions by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) challenging a 2020 order that community health volunteers (CHVs) are entitled to minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Justice Sandeep Marne held that CHVs, who have worked for the BMC for up to 38 years, perform structured duties for reward and cannot be denied minimum wages simply because their payment is called an honorarium. The court clarified that the ruling does not give CHVs the right to permanency or other benefits. Nearly 3,000 CHVs currently receive Rs 14,000 per month for five hours of work daily. The court also refused the BMC’s request for a six-week stay on the judgment.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that community health volunteers should be grateful for any honorarium, no matter how low, ignores the structured, decade-long duties they perform for Mumbai’s poorest. The court rightly saw through the label ‘volunteer’ and applied the Minimum Wages Act. The real test now is whether the BMC will simply adjust the Rs 14,000 honorarium to the notified minimum wage or continue to resist. How much more must the corporation pay per worker?
Sources (2): freepressjournal.in, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
