HYDERABAD, June 1: Noted economist Prof Qavi Ahmed has proposed that according to international standards, the minimum wages of a six-member family should be fixed at Rs10,000 per month and added that this target should be achieved in five years.

He was speaking at a seminar on the subject of “ensuing budget and workers” organized by the National Labour Federation, Hyderabad.

Prof Ahmed said that since General Pervez Musharraf has been elected president for the next five years, he should evolve a strategy to determine the minimum wages of the workers.

He said that minimum wages should be determined on yearly basis keeping in view the maximum ceiling by the end of five years.

He said that for the peace of mind of the workers, two guarantees were extremely necessary - fixation of minimum wages and job security.

He said that a government servant knew that he would be retired at the age of 60 years but this guarantee was not available to a worker. He termed this not only unjust but outright callousness also.

Prof Ahmed deplored that 40 per cent population of the country was living below poverty line and with the passage of each day, poverty, unemployment and price hike were on the increase.

He pointed out that no benefit had accrued due to the privatization of national enterprises as many of the privatized factories were lying closed and their workers had been rendered jobless.