Quick answer: Among the states that revise minimum wages every April and October, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have been reported as notifying their October 2026 revisions, and a Chhattisgarh notification was reported on 16 October. All apply from 1 October 2026, even where the order came later, so late orders mean October arrears. Telangana and Bihar had no October order found as of mid-October, reports on Uttarakhand conflict, and Delhi has issued no new order since April 2025. Karnataka, Maharashtra and most southern and western states revise on other dates.
Every October, payroll and contractor teams face the same problem: some states publish their new rates on time, some weeks later with retrospective effect, and some not at all. Tracker websites copy each other, and figures for the same state differ from site to site. This tracker lists only what has been reported with a date, says plainly where an order has not been found, and explains what employers should do in each case.
October 2026 tracker
Last updated: 3 November 2026. Status is based on dated reports by labour-compliance publishers. We have not reproduced figures we could not match across sources. Always confirm against the state Labour Department's order before revising payroll.
| State | Status | What changed from 1 October 2026 | Order date reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Notified | VDA up ₹224 a month; valid to 31 March 2027 | 28 September 2026 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Notified | VDA up ₹150 to ₹3,000 a month; unskilled now ₹12,575 a month (₹9,575 basic + ₹3,000 VDA), 67 scheduled employments | 30 September 2026 (order No. 22284) |
| Gujarat | Notified | Special allowance of up to ₹72.50 a day (₹1,885 a month); unskilled Zone I ₹524.50 a day, about ₹13,637 a month, 46 scheduled employments | 5 October 2026 |
| Odisha | Notified | VDA up ₹6 a day; unskilled ₹478 a day | October 2026 |
| Jharkhand | Notified | VDA revised from 1 October 2026 | 15 October 2026 |
| Chhattisgarh | Reported notified | VDA revision for October 2026 | 16 October 2026 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Notified | VDA revised; unskilled in Noida and Ghaziabad about ₹13,883.59 a month | 21 October 2026 |
| Telangana | Not found | New base rates applied from 1 June 2026; October VDA order not found as of mid-October | None found |
| Bihar | Not found | April 2026 rates continue (₹436 a day unskilled) until a new order | None found |
| Uttarakhand | Unclear | Sources conflict on whether an October 2026 order has been issued | Check state website |
| Delhi | No new order since April 2025 | April 2025 rates continue: unskilled ₹18,456 a month (₹710 a day) | Last order 15 April 2025 |
The central sphere, which covers central PSUs, railways, mines, ports and airports, also revised from 1 October 2026: ₹840 a day for unskilled work in Area A cities. See central minimum wages from 1 October 2026 for the full tables.
States that do not revise in October
Many states set or revise minimum wages on other dates, so nothing changes for them on 1 October. Karnataka's 2026 revision, for example, set ₹23,376 a month for unskilled shop and office staff in Zone 1, and West Bengal's current rates run from January to December 2026. If you employ in these states, check the date of the state's latest order rather than waiting for an October update.
What employers should do now
- 1. Map employees to statesMinimum wages follow the place of work, not the head office. A Bengaluru company with staff in Noida must apply Uttar Pradesh rates to them.
- 2. Apply notified rates from 1 OctoberWhere October wages were paid at the old rate, for example because Uttar Pradesh's order came only on 21 October, pay the October difference as arrears with November wages.
- 3. Keep paying the old rate where nothing is notifiedIn Telangana, Bihar and Delhi, the latest notified rates continue to apply. If an order later arrives with effect from 1 October, the arrears will be due then.
- 4. Pass the change to contractsContractors and manpower suppliers should check whether their client contracts allow VDA changes to be billed, and from which date.
Why tracker websites show different figures
The same state can appear with three different numbers online. The usual reasons:
- Basic versus total: some sites show only the basic rate, others basic plus VDA.
- Daily versus monthly: monthly figures are usually the daily rate × 26, but not every site converts the same way.
- Old orders left in place: a page updated in April may still show April rates in November.
- Zone and employment: most states have several zones and dozens of scheduled employments with different rates.
For Gujarat, for example, one widely shared page still shows ₹13,013 a month for unskilled Zone I work, while two others give ₹524.50 a day (₹13,637 a month) after the October special allowance. When figures disagree, the state Labour Department's order is the only reliable source.
Need to recalculate salaries after a revision? Use the free HR Calcy calculators for salary, overtime, PF and ESIC. No app, no download, no login.
Frequently asked questions
If a state notifies its October rates late, do I owe arrears?
Yes, where the order applies from 1 October. The revised rate is payable for the whole period from that date, so wages already paid at the old rate must be topped up.
Why has Delhi not revised minimum wages since April 2025?
No new order has been published on the Delhi Labour Department's minimum wage page since April 2025, according to compliance publishers who checked it in October 2026. Until a new order is issued, the April 2025 rates remain the legal minimum.
Do the labour codes change these minimum wages?
States now fix minimum wages under the Code on Wages, but most existing rates were carried over. Some states, including Haryana, Punjab, Telangana and Jharkhand, have issued recent orders under the Code itself.
Which rate applies if my employee works in two states?
The rate of the state where the work is actually done. For staff who move between states, payroll should follow the place of work for each period.
Related: central minimum wages from 1 October 2026 and dearness allowance in the private sector.
Position as of 3 November 2026. Status and figures are as reported, with dates, by labour-compliance publishers between 1 October and 30 October 2026; HR Calcy has not reproduced figures that conflicted between sources without saying so. This tracker will be updated as further orders appear. General information, not legal advice; confirm rates against the state government's order.