Responsibility for payment of wages.

55(1) A contractor shall be responsible for payment of wages to each contract labour
employed by him and such wages shall be paid before the expiry of such period as may be
prescribed by the appropriate Government.

(2) Every contractor shall, make the disbursement of wages referred to in sub-section (1)
through bank transfer or electronic mode and inform the principal employer electronically
the amount so paid by such mode:
Provided that where it is not practicable to disburse payment in the mode specified in
this section, then, the payment shall be made in such manner as may be prescribed by the
appropriate Government.

(3) In case the contractor fails to make payment of wages referred to in sub-section (1)
within the prescribed period or makes short payment, then, the principal employer shall be
liable to make payment of the wages in full or the unpaid balance due, as the case may be,
to the concerned contract labour employed by the contractor and recover the amount so
paid from the contractor either by deduction from any amount payable to the contractor
under any contract or as a debt payable by the contractor.

(4) The appropriate Government, in the event the contractor does not pay the wages
to the contract labour employed by him, shall pass the orders of making payment of such
wages from the amount deposited by such contractor as security deposit under the licence
issued by the licensing officer to the contractor, in such manner as may be prescribed by
such Government.