Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has increased the variable dearness allowance (VDA) for all categories of employees by Rs 7 a day.
According to an official notification, the new wage rates will be effective from October 1, 2022.
With the hike in the VDA, the minimum wage for unskilled workers will be Rs 333/day while it will be Rs 373 for semi-skilled workers, Rs 423 for skilled workers, and Rs 483 for highly skilled workers.
“The Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) at Rs 7 per day (after rounding off) shall be payable to the unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly skilled categories of employees in all 89 scheduled employments w.e.f. October 1, 2022, in addition to the minimum rate of wages,” said Labour Commissioner of Odisha N Thirumala Naik.
It has also advised adopting a system of revision of the special allowance called Variable Dearness Allowances at Rs 0.90 per point rise in the Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers (Base 2001-100) as admissible and be declared at a half-yearly interval – April 2 and October 1 – from the date of notification of revised wages, starting from April 1, 2019.
“The VDA for the half year commencing from October 1, 2022, is required to be effected on the basis of the increase in average Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial workers reaching 365.76 from 357.65 as of 30.06.2022 and thereby resulting in an increase of 8.11 points,” the notification added.
