Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved hike in minimum wage in Delhi by 50 percent.
The hike is slated to increase the wages of skilled labour to Rs 17,033 a month, unskilled labour to Rs. 14,052 per month and semi-skilled labour to Rs. 15,471 per month.
The CM also said that no new liquor shops will be opened in Delhi this year except in malls. Besides, the mohalla sabhas will have the power to shut existing neighbourhood vendors if any complaints of ‘nuisance’ are registered.
The new move doesn’t result in a hike in liquor prices. In fact, the rates of liquor have remained stable since three years.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters that the process to decide on shifting a shop to another area, with prior approval, will be initiated once 10 per cent voters of a mohalla sabha submit a written complaint in this regard.
The city has around 380 government-run liquor shops (L6) while 87 are run privately (L7). New licences have not been issued in the last 10 years. The restrictions will cover L6 and L7 shops although L10 licences for shops in malls will be granted.
Many people are troubled by liquor vends in their localities as people drink publicly and create nuisance. Women feel unsafe to venture out as they feel unsafe in such an environment. So we have taken these two decisions.Kejriwal
The decision came amid a campaign by Swaraj Abhiyan, led by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, against “proliferation” of liquor vends in the city.
It has claimed that 58 liquor vends have come up in the city since last February.
Sisodia said that once the written complaint comes, a meeting of the mohalla sabha will be called in which quorum (minimum presence required) will have to be 15 per cent of the total number of voters of that area, including at least 33 per cent women.
If two-third members present in a meeting decide to shut down a shop, then it will have to be shifted. But even then, the members of the area where it is to be shifted will have to approve any such move.Sisodia
The Delhi government approved the formation of 2,972 mohalla sabhas in June, describing it as a step towards strengthening local governance.
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