Kendrapada: More than 6.16 crore women work as agricultural labourers across the country and Odisha accounts for 32.58 lakh of those workers, according to the 2011 Census. The information was revealed by minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare, Ramanath Thakur, in Rajya Sabha on Friday. Responding to a question by MP Mamata Mohanta, Thakur presented state-wise data showing Andhra Pradesh leading with 88.37 lakh women agricultural workers, followed by Maharashtra (67.11 lakh) and Uttar Pradesh (61.35 lakh).
The state-wise breakdown also includes Madhya Pradesh (58.81 lakh), Tamil Nadu (47.63 lakh), Bihar (57.74 lakh), Karnataka (38.72 lakh), Kerala (4.64 lakh), Punjab (3.49 lakh), Chhattisgarh (27.47 lakh), West Bengal (27.36 lakh), and Rajasthan (28.06 lakh).
The minister emphasised that agriculture is classified as scheduled employment under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Both central and state govts are authorized to fix, review and revise minimum wages for agricultural workers within their jurisdictions.
"The Minimum Wages Act ensures equal pay for both male and female workers without any gender discrimination," Thakur added.
Kendrapada: More than 6.16 crore women work as agricultural labourers across the country and Odisha accounts for 32.58 lakh of those workers, according to the 2011 Census. The information was revealed by minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare, Ramanath Thakur, in Rajya Sabha on Friday. Responding to a question by MP Mamata Mohanta, Thakur presented state-wise data showing Andhra Pradesh leading with 88.37 lakh women agricultural workers, followed by Maharashtra (67.11 lakh) and Uttar Pradesh (61.35 lakh).
The state-wise breakdown also includes Madhya Pradesh (58.81 lakh), Tamil Nadu (47.63 lakh), Bihar (57.74 lakh), Karnataka (38.72 lakh), Kerala (4.64 lakh), Punjab (3.49 lakh), Chhattisgarh (27.47 lakh), West Bengal (27.36 lakh), and Rajasthan (28.06 lakh).
The minister emphasised that agriculture is classified as scheduled employment under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Both central and state govts are authorized to fix, review and revise minimum wages for agricultural workers within their jurisdictions.
"The Minimum Wages Act ensures equal pay for both male and female workers without any gender discrimination," Thakur added.