NEW DELHI: Taking strong exeption to government’s “inaction” in amending the Minimum Wages Act to make it more deterrent for violaters, a Parliamentary committee has held it is high time penal provisions in the Act as well as other such acts be revised soon.

“It is high time that the penalty provisions not only in the Minimum Wages Act but also other Acts administered by the Labour and Employment Ministry need careful and thoughtful consideration for revision to serve as an effective deterrent in cases of violations,” the Parliamentary committee said.

The committee said that even after eight years of drafting of the proposal, the amendments are yet to be enacted by Parliament.

The Standing Committee on Labour on demands for grants of the Ministry of Labour and Employment for 2013-14 also reiterated its recommendation for linking it with the price index and size of the establishment or profit margin of the violators in case of violation of any of the provisions of the Act.

The committee has also taken strong exception to the fact that the government did not feel the need to revisit the amendment proposal to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 drafted in 2005 on the “spacious plea” that theCentral Advisory Board had recommended for a revision of the penalty provisions.