Minister for Youth Services & Sports, Information Technology and Technical Education, Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari today informed the House that paying wages less than minimum wages notified as per provisions of section 22 of Minimum Wages Act 1948 is a penal offence.Replying to a question by Mr Ranbir Singh Pathania, the Minister informed that the rates of minimum wages as notified/ revised by the Labour and Employment Department from time to time are only applicable to the categories of the scheduled employments as per SRO 3.The Minister said that as such the Minimum Wages notified wide SRO 3 aren’t applicable to SPOs, RETs, REZs, Casual Labrours, Lambardars and Chowkidars etc besides drivers, sweepers/PTS in the health department and night-Chowkidars in CA&PD and Chowkidars in Panchayat Ghars in the State.