40 SOCIAL SCIENTIST minimum wage is based on the norms laid down by the 15th Indian Labour Conference (ILC). Though the Committee on Fair Wages had offered a clear cut definition of the minimum wage, it was found difficult to quantify it. The hurdle was removed by the tripartite body consisting of the representatives of the Central and state governments, employers and central trade Union organisations of employees and workers at the 15th ILC in 1957. The 15th ILC had not only provided a solution to quantifying the minimum wage, which is need-based, but it recorded an agreement regarding 'Fair Wage5 to the effect that the Wage Boards should go into details in respect of each industry on the basis of recommendations of the Committee on Fair Wages. It also made it clear that so far as minimum wage at need-based level was concerned, any wage fixing machinery need not go into all those details necessary for providing a 'Fair Wage5. The obligation of every employer for paying its workmen a need-based minimum was thus made absolute While accepting that the minimum wage was need-based and should ensure the satisfaction of minimum human needs of the industrial worker, the following norms were accepted as a guideline for all wage-fixing authorities including minimum wage committees, wage boards, adjudicators and so on : i) in calculating the minimum wage the standard working class family should be taken to comprise three consumption units for one earner, the earning of women, children and adolescents being disregarded; ii) minimum food requirements should be calculated on the basis of a net intake of calories as recommended by Dr Aykroyd for an average Indian adult of moderate activity; iii) clothing requirements should be, estimated on the basis of 18 yards per annum which would be given for the average worker's family o ffour, a total of 72 yards; iv) in respect of housing, the rent corresponding to the minimum area provided under Government's Industrial Housing Scheme should be taken into consideration in fixing the minimum wage; v) fuel, lighting and other miscellaneous items of expenditure should constitute 20 percent of the total minimum wage.7 Of a)l the norms under the guideline to calculate the need-based minimum the dietary norms seem to be most important. Therefore, a good deal of effort has been devoted to come to an agreed formula on minimum food requirements on the basis of a net intake of calories for an average Indian adult of moderate activity. "As regards food, different norms have been recommended by different authorities. The opinions expressed by Aykroyd have usually carried weight with the wage fixing authorities. Aykroyd has prescribed dietary standards at two levels, the optimum level and the adequate evel. The optimum would include more of fruits and fresh vegetables