Gangtok, May 6: The state government has fixed the minimum wage of labourers in the private sector at Rs 85 per day.

The decision was taken today after a review meeting on Minimum Wages Act, 1948, for the state of Sikkim held at the conference hall of Tashiling Secretariat under the chairmanship of the labour minister, D.T. Lepcha.

The meet was attended by the additional chief secretary of labour department, controller of the finance department and senior officials of various government departments.

Also present at the meet were managing directors and directors of various state government undertakings, private sector units and organisations and representatives of the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce.

A press release from the information and public relations department said the new scale would come into effect from June 1.

The state has taken this step to provide better opportunities to the labourers of the private sector after the Minimum Wages Act has been enforced in Sikkim, the release said.

The Sikkim Democratic Front government had passed a Bill enforcing the Minimum Wages Act in the Sikkim Assembly last year.

After the Bill was implemented, the muster-roll labourers working for the government received a minimum wage of Rs 85 per day.

This triggered the private sector to demand a similar hike.