Variation in Minimum Wages across States – Reasons and Area wise rates in Central Sphere as on 01.10.2025

Variation in Minimum Wages across States – Reasons and Area wise rates in Central Sphere as on 01.10.2025 submitted by Sushri Sobha Kandlaje, Minister of State for Labour and employment in written reply of Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 106 to be answered on 29.01.2026

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 106
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026

VARIATION IN MINIMUM WAGES

SHRI BIKASH RANJAN BHATTACHARYYA:

Will the Minister of Labour and Employment be pleased to state:

(a) the details of reasons for variation in minimum wages across States;

(b) the details of minimum wages since 2020, State-wise and yearwise; and

(c) the increase in Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) on basic rates of minimum wages since 2020, State-wise?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (c): The minimum wage rates are determined and revised according to the specific needs and economic conditions of each region, which results in variations across different States and sectors.

However, such data of State-wise minimum rate of wages is not maintained centrally.

Further, in order to take care of the rising prices, the Central Government revises the Variable Dearness Allowance (V.D.A) on basic rates of minimum wages every six months, effective from 1st April and 1st October of every year based on Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers. Latest V.D.A. in the central sphere as applicable from 01.10.2025 is at Annexure.

The provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 have been rationalized and subsumed under the Code on Wages 2019, which have been made effective from 21.11.2025 with the aim to universalize the applicability of Minimum Wages across all employments.

The Code on Wages, 2019 empowers both Central and State Governments as appropriate governments to fix, review and revise the minimum rates of wages for the establishments falling under their respective jurisdiction.

The Code on Wages, 2019 makes the floor wage as a statutory provision. Section 9 of the Code on Wages, 2019 provides for fixing of floor wage by the Central Government. Further, the Code stipulates that the minimum rates of wages fixed by the appropriate Governments shall not be less than the floor wage.

ANNEXURE

Annexure referred to in reply of Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 106 for 29/01/2026 regarding “Variation in minimum wages” raised by Shri Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya.

Area wise Rates of Minimum Wages in the Central Sphere (as on 01.10.2025)

* Per 2.831 cubic meters or 100 cubic feet
**Per truck load of 5.662 cubic meters or 200 cubic feet

+ Employees engaged in the employment of Sweeping and Cleaning excluding Activities prohibited under the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.

# Employees engaged in the employment of Loading and Unloading in (i) Goods Sheds, Parcel Offices of Railways; (ii) Other Goods Sheds, Godowns, Warehouses and other similar employments; (iii) Docks and Ports; and (iv) Passengers Goods and Cargo Carried out at Airports (Both International and Domestic).
^ Employees engaged in the employment of construction or maintenance of Roads or Runways or in Building Operations including laying down Underground Electric, Wireless, Radio, Television, Telephone, Telegraph and Overseas Communication Cables and similar other Underground Cabling Work, Electric Lines, Water Supply Lines and Sewerage Pipe Lines.

$ Employees engaged in the employment of Gypsum Mines, Barytes Mines, Bauxite Mines, Manganese Mines, China Clay Mines, Kyanite Mines, Copper Mines, Clay Mines, Magnesite Mines, White Clay Mines, Stone Mines, Steatite Mines (including the mines producing Soap Stones and Talc), Ochre Mines, Asbestos Mines, Fire Clay Mines, Chromite Mines, Quartzite Mines, Quartz Mines, Silica Mines, Graphite Mines, Felspar Mines, Laterite Mines, Dolomite Mines, Red Oxide Mines, Wolfram Mines, Iron Ore Mines, Granite Mines, Rock Phosphate Mines, Hematite Mines, Marble and Calcite Mines, Uranium Mines, Mica Mines, Lignite Mines, Gravel Mines, Slate and Magnetite Mines.

Classification of Area

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