GULABEEYA DEVI @ PACHIYA Vs. MEHBOOB ALI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Appellants who are the legal heirs of the deceased Chariter Sahni seek enhancement of compensation of Rs. 4,97,000/- awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, (the Tribunal) by the impugned judgment dated 21.12.2010.

(2.) CHARITER Sahni suffered fatal injuries in an accident on 08.05.2003. It was alleged that the Appellant was working as a rickshaw-puller and was earning Rs. 4,500/- per month. The Tribunal took the monthly income of the deceased to be Rs. 3,000/- per month and calculated the loss of dependency as Rs. 4,32,000/-. After adding conventional sum, the overall compensation of Rs. 4,97,000/- was awarded to the Claimants.

(3.) IN National INsurance Company Ltd. v. Renu Devi & Ors., III (2008) ACC 134, this Court held that the increase in the minimum wages is not on account of promotion of a unskilled worker or on account of advancement in his career but the same is due to increase in the price index and cost of living. It has also to be borne in mind that the minimum wages are revised not only to meet the inflation but also to improve the standard of living of the lowest paid workers and to give the benefit of growth in GDP.