No earth wire shall have a cross sectional area less than 3.0 sq.mm copper and 6 sq.mm if it is of galvanised iron or steel except in portable equipment whose current carrying conductor has a cross sectional area less than 3 sq.mm.
In such a case the earth wire should have a cross sectional area equal to current carrying conductor.
Please refer standard earthing practice ( if you are in india it is IS 3043) for more info.