WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION, 305
wage is seldom as low as Rs. 8 monthly ; and, in our view, an allowance
of half-wages is too small when the wage is low. We recommend that,
for adults in receipt of not more than Rs. 30, payments for temporary
disablement be based on two-thirds of wages, and for minors on the
full-wage rate. The scale should be subject to a minimum of Rs. 5
for each half-monthly payment, in place of the present minimum of
Rs. 2, but the rate of compensation should not, of course, exceed the
rate of wages. This will resultin all adults in receipt of not more than
Rs. 15 monthly getting full wages during temporary disablement
(except during the waiting period). No person receiving more than
Rs. 30 a month should receive less compensation than he would have
got if his wage had been Rs. 30. Further, we recommend the fixing of
the minimum compensation for death in the case of adults at Rs. 600
and for complete permanent disablement at Rs. 840. The minima for
partial permanent disablement should be correspondingly raised. This
is equivalent to making the minimum wage for compensation, except
in the case of temporary disablement, equal to Rs. 20. At the other
end of the scale, we consider that the maxima are unduly low. The
workman on Rs. 250, if temporarily disabled, gets no more than the
workman on Rs. 60 ; if he is permanently disabled, he gets the same as
the workman on Rs. 80.
Proposed Scale. }
We recommend enhanced compensation on a scale which can
be most clearly indicated by giving the alterations necessary in Schedule
IV. In place of the fourteen existing wage classes, we would make
seventeen, the upper wage limits for which should be (in rupees) 10, 15,
18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100, 200 and 300. Except in the
last two classes, the assumed wage should be the highest wage of the class
and not, as at present, the mean wage. Thus the eighth class would
consist of persons receiving more than Rs. 30 but not more than Rs. 35
and the assumed wage for that class would be Rs. 35. The division into
bwo classes of those getting not more than Rs. 15 will affect minors
only, and the compensation for death or permanent disablement to
adults will be identical for the first three classes and will be based on a
wage of Rs. 20. We recommend for the last two classes assumed wages of
Rs. 125 and 150 respectively, and that the maximum half-monthly
payment, which is at present Rs. 15, be raised to Rs. 30. The
changes in the method of calculating assumed wages will produce a
small enhancement in the general level of the scales, apart from the
substantial enhancements arising from the raising of both the minima
and the proportion of wages payable to the poorer workmen ; while
the effect on workmen at the top of the scale will be marked. If
our recommendations are adopted the maxima for death and permanent
total disablement will be raised from Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,500 to
Rs. 4,500 and Rs. 6,300 respectively, while all workmen getting over
Rs. 100 a month will receive compensation for temporary disablement
at the rate of Rs. 60 a month. The compensation in the case of
fatal accidents to minors should not be changed : and, as at present,