Minimum Wages Act Confusion: How Should Our NGO Classify Worker Pay?

We are an NGO assisting the Central and State Governments with the supply of midday meals to Government-aided Municipality/Zilla Parishad schools (primary and secondary schools) through many centralized kitchens located in different states.

Minimum Wages Act Category Inquiry

Under which category are we to pay wages to our labor under the Minimum Wages Act? We have a Shop and Establishment License.

Regards

I am not sure whether you've registered your centralized kitchens under the respective State's Shops & Establishments Act. If so, you have to pay the minimum rates fixed by the respective state.

Thank you.
Regards,

If an organization is registered with the Shop and Establishment Act of the respective state, then the wages to be paid to its labor should be according to the wages fixed by the respective state from time to time.

Warm regards,
Pranab Chakraborty

With due respect to Mr. Umakanthan, I would like to differ. Since the NGO operates across many states, the appropriate government for them is the Central government. Hence, they must pay wages as notified by the central government but, of course, subject to the rates of the respective states, whichever is higher.

Other seniors may comment.

If the NGO is registered under the State Shops and Establishment Act, then they have to follow the state's Minimum Wages Act, in my view.