Naveen Patnaik Demands Rs 800 Daily Wage, Targets BJP on Labour Welfare

Bhubaneswar, May 1: Naveen Patnaik, president of the Biju Janata Dal and Leader of Opposition in Odisha, on Friday demanded that the minimum wage for workers in the state be increased to Rs 800 per day, citing rising prices and the growing cost of living.

Addressing a May Day gathering at the Biju Shramik Samukhya headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik said a wage revision was essential to safeguard workers’ livelihoods under current economic conditions.

Paying tribute to his father and former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, he described him as a champion of labour rights. He recalled key initiatives undertaken during Biju Patnaik’s tenure, including significant increases in minimum wages and the introduction of equal pay for women to ensure social justice.

Patnaik asserted that workers’ welfare and social security had remained a priority during both his father’s leadership and the BJD government’s tenure in Odisha.

Launching a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state, the BJD chief alleged that several labour welfare measures were being neglected. He expressed concern that welfare boards for transport and construction workers had become defunct and called for their immediate reactivation.

Highlighting the challenges faced by scheme-based workers, he pointed to the plight of Mission Shakti workers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Krushi Mitras, Prani Mitras and Bank Mitras, stating that many of them were still deprived of their rightful entitlements despite their consistent contributions.

Reaffirming his party’s commitment to labour rights, Patnaik said the BJD would continue to fight to protect the interests of workers across the state.

The programme was presided over by Biju Shramik Samukhya president Prafulla Samal. Senior BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra and Cuttack Mayor Subhas Singh also addressed the gathering, raising various concerns related to workers’ rights and welfare.