Labour Day bonanza: Punjab assembly clears 15% hike in minimum wages

Following the assembly’s clearance, the Labour Department issued a notification revising minimum wages across all categories of employment in the state. The new rates are effective from May 1, 2026 and apply to all establishments, including factories, shops, commercial units and government offices. Unskilled workers will receive ₹13,486 per month (from ₹10,899); semi-skilled ₹14,383 (from ₹11,679); skilled ₹15,414 (from ₹12,576); and highly skilled ₹16,601 (from ₹13,608). Daily wages are ₹518.69 to ₹638.50, depending on skill level. The notification also establishes equal wages for men, women, transgender persons, and differently-abled workers, requires principal employers to ensure contract workers receive the prescribed minimum wages, and mandates adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index to protect against inflation. Wages that are already higher will not be reduced.

In a special session, the Punjab assembly unanimously adopted a resolution for a 15% increase in minimum wages for all registered workers in both government and private sectors. Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond tabled the official resolution on the occasion of Labour Day. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised past neglect, noting that the base rate of minimum wages was last revised in 2012, while Dearness Allowance had risen since then. Mann stated that two previous governments ignored wage revisions for over a decade and framed the increase as a tribute to workers’ contributions to socio-economic progress.