Kolkata, Feb 14 : Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien on Friday urged the Centre to introduce a universal basic minimum wage, drawing inspiration from West Bengal’s ‘Yuva Sathi’ scheme to address rising employment concerns and stagnant earnings.
Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, O’Brien proposed the Universal Minimum Annual National Guarantee (UMANG), a framework aimed at creating a single, legally enforceable national wage floor applicable across sectors, contract types, and regions. He argued that no worker in India should be paid below a guaranteed minimum threshold.
Referring to the national wage floor, O’Brien said it has remained around ₹176 per day for nearly a decade, effectively trapping millions in what he described as “working poverty.” He emphasised the need for policy reform to ensure dignified livelihoods and economic security.
Citing the ‘Yuva Sathi’ initiative in West Bengal, which provides ₹1,500 per month to unemployed youth aged 21 to 40 who have passed Class X for up to five years or until employment is secured, he described the scheme as a potential blueprint for broader wage reforms.
The TMC leader also highlighted state-level data, noting that West Bengal’s unemployment rate stands at 3.6 per cent, lower than the national average of 4.8 per cent. He maintained that structured income support and wage guarantees could play a key role in addressing income disparities and strengthening workforce participation across the country.