India does not have one national minimum wage. Each state and union territory fixes its own rates, usually by skill category and zone. The Central Government fixes separate rates for central-sphere work such as railways, mines, major ports and central PSUs. This page lists the current unskilled rate for every state and union territory, along with the notification it comes from and a link to the official source wherever one could be confirmed. All rates were last verified on 19 October 2026.
Minimum wages in India: the short answer
- Central sphere: ₹840 a day (₹21,840 a month) for unskilled work in Area A cities, from 1 October 2026.
- Highest state rate: Karnataka, at ₹24,407.23 a month for unskilled work in Zone 1 (Greater Bengaluru), from 22 May 2026.
- Lowest state rate still in force: Nagaland, at ₹176 a day, unchanged since June 2019.
- National floor wage: the Code on Wages, 2019 allows the Centre to fix a floor wage that no state may go below. It had not been notified as of October 2026. The older ₹178-a-day National Floor Level Minimum Wage is advisory only.
State-wise minimum wages in India (unskilled)
The table shows the unskilled rate for the main category, usually shops and commercial establishments, in the highest-paid zone. Other skill levels, zones and industries are paid differently. Always open the notification for the exact rate that applies to your employees.
Status key:
- Current: latest notification found and confirmed.
- Revision pending: a scheduled revision is due but had not been published.
- Out of date: no revision for several years.
- Not verified: sources conflict, so no rate is shown.
Where the official source column says "not yet confirmed", no official web address could be verified. Use the notification number to request the order from the state labour department.
| State / UT | Unskilled minimum wage | What the figure includes | In force from | Notification | Status | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central sphere | ₹840 a day (₹21,840 a month), Area A | Basic ₹523 + VDA ₹317 a day; construction, cleaning, loading | 1 Oct 2026 | Order 6/1/2026-VDA, 30 Sep 2026 | Current | Chief Labour Commissioner |
| Andhra Pradesh | ₹12,871.20 a month, Zone I | Basic ₹3,700 + VDA ₹9,171.20; shops | 1 Oct 2026 | G/3186486/2026, 28 Sep 2026 | Current | Labour Department |
| Arunachal Pradesh | ₹220 a day (₹6,600 a month), Area II | Consolidated rate | 1 Apr 2016 | LAB(MW)-22/2016 | Out of date | Not yet confirmed |
| Assam | ₹10,543.39 a month (₹405.52 a day) | Basic + VDA; statewide | 1 Jan 2026 | E-238621/703, 17 Jun 2026 | Current | Labour Commissioner |
| Bihar | ₹436 a day (₹11,336 a month) | Basic ₹428 + VDA ₹8 a day; statewide | 1 Apr 2026 | 5/MW-40-16/2021, 1 Apr 2026 | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Labour Resources Department |
| Chhattisgarh | ₹11,402 a month (₹439 a day), Zone A | Basic ₹8,320 + VDA ₹3,082 | 1 Apr 2026 | Eight/N.W/L.C/2026/960-961 | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Labour Department |
| Goa | ₹14,586 a month (₹561 a day), Zone A | Basic ₹412 + VDA ₹149 a day | 1 Apr 2026 | CLE/PA/MWA-VDA/(10)/2016/1547, 29 Apr 2026 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Gujarat | ₹13,637 a month (₹524.50 a day), Zone I | Basic ₹452 + special allowance ₹72.50 a day | 1 Oct 2026 | Labour Commissioner, 5 Oct 2026 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Haryana | ₹15,220.71 a month (₹585.41 a day) | Basic only; cannot be split into allowances | 1 Apr 2026 | 2/25/26-2 Lab, 9 Apr 2026 | Current | Labour Department |
| Himachal Pradesh | ₹12,750 a month (₹425 a day) | Single rate; 30-day month; shops without benefits | 1 Apr 2025 | Annual April order | Revision pending (Apr 2026) | Not yet confirmed |
| Jharkhand | ₹13,390 a month (₹515 a day), Area A | Basic ₹468 + VDA ₹47 a day | 1 Apr 2026 | 02/MW-2071/2010 (Part-3), 25 May 2026 | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Not yet confirmed |
| Karnataka | ₹24,407.23 a month, Zone 1 | Basic ₹23,376.43 + DA ₹1,030.80; 81 employments | 22 May 2026 | Consolidated notification, 22 May 2026 | Current (court challenge pending; no stay) | Labour Department |
| Kerala | Varies by district | Basic + DA; DA revised monthly on district CPI | Latest DA: Aug 2026 | Monthly CPI notifications | Current (check monthly) | Labour Commissionerate |
| Madhya Pradesh | ₹12,575 a month (₹484 a day) | Basic ₹9,575 + VDA ₹3,000; statewide | 1 Oct 2026 | 22288-337, 30 Sep 2026 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Maharashtra | ₹14,155 a month, Zone I | Basic ₹10,021 + special allowance ₹4,134; +5% HRA where over 50 workers | 1 Jul 2026 | Notified Aug 2026 | Current (to 31 Dec 2026) | Labour Department |
| Manipur | ₹400 a day (₹12,000 a month) | Shops and establishments | 12 Mar 2025 | Order effective 12 Mar 2025 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Meghalaya | ₹555 a day (₹14,430 a month) | Basic ₹525 + VDA ₹30 a day | 1 Apr 2026 | LE&SD.9/2023/Pt/26, 1 May 2026 | Current | Labour Commissionerate |
| Mizoram | ₹420 a day | Consolidated rate | 1 Apr 2023 | B.14015/4/2010-LESDE/417, 16 Jun 2023 | Out of date | Not yet confirmed |
| Nagaland | ₹176 a day (₹5,280 a month) | Consolidated; 30-day month | 14 Jun 2019 | Notified Nov 2019 | Out of date (revision awaiting Cabinet) | Not yet confirmed |
| Odisha | ₹478 a day (₹12,428 a month) | Daily rate including VDA | 1 Oct 2026 | Labour Commissioner, 8 Oct 2026 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Punjab | ₹13,486 a month (₹518.69 a day) | Shops and establishments | 1 May 2026 | Notification of 1 May 2026 | Current | Not yet confirmed |
| Rajasthan | ₹285 a day (₹7,410 a month) | Consolidated; statewide | 1 Jan 2023 | F.8(5)(6)…/00212, gazette 13 Dec 2024 | Out of date | Not yet confirmed |
| Sikkim | ₹500 a day | Consolidated; higher rates at high altitude | 11 Jul 2022 | 44/DL | Out of date | Labour Department |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹14,044 a month, Zone A (general shop worker) | Basic ₹6,691 + DA ₹7,353; graded by job title | 1 Apr 2026 | Z3/3459/2026, 18 Feb 2026 | Current (to 31 Mar 2027) | Commissioner of Labour |
| Telangana | ₹16,000 a month, Zone I | Consolidated; new structure | 1 Jun 2026 | G.O.Ms.No.6, 30 May 2026 | Current (VDA order pending) | Not yet confirmed |
| Tripura | ₹8,077 a month | Basic ₹7,123 + VDA; shops | 1 Apr 2026 | F.22(74)-LAB/ENF/MW/SHOPS/2022/660-77 | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Not yet confirmed |
| Uttar Pradesh | ₹13,690 a month, Category I (Noida, Ghaziabad) | Basic ₹12,885 + VDA ₹805 | 1 Apr 2026 | 374/36-2-2026-2041256, 17 Apr 2026 (interim) | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Labour Department |
| Uttarakhand | ₹13,057 a month (towns over 1 lakh) | Basic ₹12,539 + VDA ₹518 | 1 Apr 2026 | Govt. Order 460(1)/VIII-1/2026, 22 Apr 2026 | Current | Labour Department |
| West Bengal | ₹10,558 a month (₹406 a day), Zone A | Consolidated; shops | 1 Jul 2026 | 30/Stat/14/RW/24/2023/LCS/JLC, 22 Jun 2026 | Current (to 31 Dec 2026) | Labour Department |
| Andaman & Nicobar | ₹660 a day (₹17,160 a month) | Including VDA | 1 Jul 2026 | Labour Commissioner Order No. 229 | Current | Labour Department |
| Chandigarh | ₹14,737 a month (₹567 a day) | Consolidated; own schedule (not Punjab's) | 1 Apr 2026 | Notified 7 Sep 2026 | Revision pending (Oct 2026) | Not yet confirmed |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | ₹501.50 a day (₹13,039 a month) | Basic ₹441 + special allowance ₹60.50 | 1 Apr 2026 | Special allowance declaration, 30 Apr 2026 | Current | Labour & Employment |
| Delhi | ₹18,456 a month (₹710 a day) | Basic + VDA; no zones | 1 Apr 2025 | F.No.(142)/02/MW/VII/Part file/211-241, 15 Apr 2025 | Revisions pending (Oct 2025, Apr 2026) | Labour Department |
| Jammu & Kashmir | ₹311 a day (₹8,086 a month) | Consolidated; no VDA | 17 Oct 2022 | S.O. 513 | Out of date | Not yet confirmed |
| Ladakh | ₹450 a day | Consolidated; +10% in Zanskar, Durbuk, Nyoma | 2 Nov 2022 | S.O. 117 | Out of date | Notification (PDF) |
| Lakshadweep | — | Sources conflict | — | — | Not verified | Not yet confirmed |
| Puducherry | ₹11,131 a month (general shop workers) | Consolidated; graded by job title | Sep 2024 | Shops and establishments final notification | Current | Labour Department |
Daily and monthly figures are as notified. Where a state notifies only one of them, the other is shown for reference: 26 working days a month for most states, 30 days for Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Central-sphere rates from 1 October 2026
These rates apply where the Central Government is the appropriate government: railways, mines, oil fields, major ports, central PSUs and their contractors. The VDA is revised every 1 April and 1 October in line with the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers. The current rates apply to 31 March 2027.
Construction, sweeping and cleaning, and loading and unloading:
| Category | Area A (per day) | Area A (per month) | Area B (per day) | Area C (per day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹840 | ₹21,840 | ₹704 | ₹565 |
| Semi-skilled / unskilled supervisory | ₹933 | ₹24,258 | – | – |
| Skilled / clerical / watch and ward without arms | ₹1,024 | ₹26,624 | – | – |
| Highly skilled / watch and ward with arms | ₹1,111 | ₹28,886 | – | – |
Agriculture is paid ₹537 a day for unskilled work in Area A, ₹491 in Area B and ₹486 in Area C. Higher skill categories in Areas B and C are listed in the order on the Chief Labour Commissioner's website.
Where rates are disputed, delayed or out of date
Karnataka. The 22 May 2026 notification raised rates by close to 60% in many employments. Employers have challenged it on the ground that it was issued under the repealed Minimum Wages Act. The High Court declined interim relief and tagged the petitions with appeals pending before a Division Bench. Separately, it stayed government circulars that had halted implementation. Until the court decides, the notified rates apply.
Haryana. The April 2026 revision was the state's first change to basic rates since October 2015. It was issued under Section 8(3) of the Code on Wages. A public interest case about implementation, including in small establishments, is pending in the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
Delhi. No genuine order has been issued since April 2025. A forged "October 2025" order circulated online and was disowned by the Labour Department. Websites quoting higher "October 2026" Delhi rates give no notification number. Do not use them.
October 2026 revisions not yet issued. As of mid-October 2026, these had not been notified:
- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tripura and Chandigarh: October 2026 rates.
- Telangana: the VDA order under its new structure.
- Himachal Pradesh: its April 2026 revision.
Revisions are usually backdated to their effective date. Provide for arrears.
Rates unchanged for years:
- Arunachal Pradesh (2016)
- Nagaland (2019)
- Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (2022)
- Mizoram and Rajasthan (2023)
Nagaland's ₹176 a day is below even the old advisory floor of ₹178. A revision to ₹297 a day was proposed in March 2025 and was still awaiting the Cabinet in September 2026.
Kerala and Lakshadweep. Kerala's DA changes every month with each district's consumer price index, so no single figure stays accurate; use the Labour Commissionerate's monthly notifications. For Lakshadweep, the published figures conflict and none comes with a notification number. Confirm the rate directly with the administration.
How minimum wages work under the Code on Wages, 2019
The Code on Wages came into force on 21 November 2025. It replaced the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and three other wage laws, and the Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 followed on 8 May 2026. For a full walkthrough, see the Code on Wages, 2019 guide.
- Every employee is covered, not just the "scheduled employments" listed under the old Act.
- The floor wage: once the Centre notifies it under Section 9, no state may fix a lower rate.
- How rates vary: by time or piece, by skill level, and by geographical area.
- Review cycle: rates must ordinarily be reviewed at intervals of no more than five years. VDA is usually revised once or twice a year.
Several states still issue orders that refer to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 while drafting or notifying their own Code on Wages rules. Where an order's legal basis is disputed, the cautious course is to pay the notified rate and take legal advice.
How to check that you are paying the minimum wage
- Use the rate for the place of work. Central-sphere employers follow the central rates. Everyone else follows the state where the employee actually works, not where the head office is.
- Classify the employee by the work actually done, using the notification's skill categories.
- Find the zone or area. Cities and municipal corporations usually carry higher rates.
- Compare like with like. Most notifications fix basic wage plus VDA or a special allowance. HRA, conveyance, overtime, bonus and reimbursements generally do not count towards the minimum. Haryana requires the notified amount to be paid as basic wage.
- Convert correctly. A daily rate multiplied by 30 overstates the monthly minimum in states that use 26 working days.
- Re-check after every revision, and pay arrears from the effective date.
The salary breakup calculator helps you test a salary structure against the minimum. The overtime calculation guide covers overtime, which the Code sets at no less than twice the normal rate of wages.
Penalties for paying below the minimum wage
| Offence (Section 54, Code on Wages) | First offence | Repeat within five years |
|---|---|---|
| Paying an employee less than the amount due | Fine up to ₹50,000 | Imprisonment up to 3 months, or fine up to ₹1 lakh, or both |
| Any other contravention of the Code, rules or orders | Fine up to ₹20,000 | Imprisonment up to 1 month, or fine up to ₹40,000, or both |
| Not maintaining records, or maintaining them improperly | Fine up to ₹10,000 | – |
On top of any fine, the shortfall must be paid to the employee. Offences punishable with a fine only can be compounded by paying 50% of the maximum fine.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in India per day in 2026?
There is no single national figure. For central-sphere unskilled work in Area A cities it is ₹840 a day from 1 October 2026. State rates for unskilled work range from ₹176 a day in Nagaland to about ₹939 a day in Karnataka's Zone 1.
Is ₹178 a day the national minimum wage?
No. It is the National Floor Level Minimum Wage announced in 2019, and it was only advisory. The binding floor wage under the Code on Wages had not been notified as of October 2026.
Which state has the highest minimum wage?
Karnataka, at ₹24,407.23 a month for unskilled work in Zone 1 under its 22 May 2026 notification. The notification is under legal challenge, but it has not been stayed.
Do minimum wages apply to office and IT staff?
Yes. Under the Code on Wages, minimum wages apply to all employees. Entry-level support roles such as housekeeping, security and office assistants are the ones most often paid close to the minimum.
Can the employer's PF contribution count towards the minimum wage?
No. The minimum wage is what the employee must be paid. The employer's PF and ESI contributions are on top of it.
How do I know a minimum wage notification is genuine?
Check that it carries a notification or order number and a date, and that the same order appears on the state labour department's website or in the official gazette. Treat figures that come without a notification number with suspicion.
How this page is checked
Every rate is taken from the notification itself or from at least two independent compliance sources that reproduce it. Rates that could not be confirmed this way are marked "Not verified" and shown without a number. The page is reviewed after each April and October revision cycle, and whenever a state issues a new notification.
Last verified: 19 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the applicable notification before processing payroll.