Minimum Wages in India: State-wise Rates 2026
Background of minimum wages in India
For more than 70 years, minimum wages in India came from the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, and covered only the jobs listed as “scheduled employments”. That changed on 21 November 2025, when the Code on Wages, 2019 took over. Now every employee is entitled to at least the minimum wage, whatever the industry. The Central Government also sets a floor wage, and no state can fix its rate below it.
Who fixes the rate has not changed. The Central Government sets rates for its own establishments and each state government sets the rest, so a skilled worker in Pune and a skilled worker in Patna can have quite different minimums. Rates vary by state, by area and by skill level (unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled). Most states also add a variable dearness allowance (VDA) that is revised twice a year.
Rates as on 23 October 2026. Notifications listed on this page were checked against the official state labour department or gazette sources on this date.
State wise list
Who is covered under the Code on Wages
The bigger change is coverage. The old Act applied only to listed industries, so many office, IT and service staff fell outside it. The Code on Wages covers every employee in every establishment, which gives these roles a legal minimum as well. Apprentices engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961 are not "employees" under the Code on Wages, so the minimum wage does not apply to them. They are paid a stipend under that Act.
For payroll, that means two checks every time rates change: is each employee paid at least the notified rate for their state, area and skill category, and has pay been revised since the last VDA change? The definition of wages under the new codes also decides which pay components count towards the minimum.
Procedure of fixing and revision of minimum wages
The government takes advice from its advisory board and then publishes the rates by notification. The basic rate is reviewed at least once every five years. The VDA moves more often, usually on 1 April and 1 October, and that is the revision payroll teams need to watch.
For central establishments, the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 (notified on 8 May 2026) explain how the Central Government calculates its rates and require the VDA to be revised twice a year, before 1 April and 1 October. Each state is notifying its own rules, so check your state’s notification too.
Types of minimum wage rates
- A minimum time rate
- A minimum piece rate
- A guaranteed time rate
- Overtime rate
Penalty for paying less than the minimum wage
Paying less than the amount due is an offence under the Code on Wages. For a first offence the fine can go up to ₹50,000. If it happens again within five years, the employer faces up to three months in prison, a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, or both. The fine does not close the matter either: the unpaid difference still has to be paid to the employee.
Our payroll compliance services check every payroll run against the latest notified rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in India in 2026?
India does not have one national minimum wage. Each state sets its own rates by area and skill level, and none of them can be lower than the floor wage set by the Central Government. Pick your state on this page to see what applies today.
Does the minimum wage apply to all employees?
Yes. From 21 November 2025, the Code on Wages, 2019 covers every employee in every establishment. Before that, only jobs in the listed scheduled employments were covered.
How often do minimum wages change?
The VDA part usually changes twice a year, on 1 April and 1 October in most states. Basic rates are reviewed less often, at least once every five years.
What happens if an employer pays less than the minimum wage?
They must pay the employee the difference, and they can be fined up to ₹50,000. A second offence within five years can also mean imprisonment.
Latest minimum wage notifications
Minimum Wages Rates for Sikkim, wef 11th Jul 2022
Notification No. 29/DL dated 14/09/2022 (Sikkim Government Gazette No. 368) – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Rajasthan, wef 1st Jan 2023
Minimum Wages notification published in the Rajasthan Gazette dated 13/12/2024 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Punjab, wef 1st May 2026
Notification No. Labour-Lab0MIWA/1/2021-4L(260032)/166 dated 01/05/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Odisha, wef 1st Oct 2026
Notification No. 8393 dated 08/10/2026 (VDA revision) – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Nagaland, wef 14th Jun 2019
Notification No. LAB-1/6/2004 (Pt-II) dated 14/06/2019 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Mizoram, wef 1st Apr 2023
Notification No. B.14015/4/2010-LESDE/417 dated 16/06/2023 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Meghalaya, wef 1st Oct 2026
Notification No. LE&SD.9/2023/Pt/33 dated 08/10/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Madhya Pradesh, wef 1st Oct 2026
Labour Commissioner, Indore order No. 22283-337 dated 30/09/2026 (valid till 31/03/2027) – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Ladakh, wef 2nd Nov 2022
Notification S.O. 117 dated 02/11/2022 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Karnataka, for the year 2026-27
Minimum wages rates for the year 2026-27, Labour Commissioner, Karnataka – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Jammu and Kashmir, wef 17th Oct 2022
Notification S.O. 513 dated 12/10/2022, Labour and Employment Department – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Haryana, wef 1st Apr 2026
Notification No. 2/25/26-2 Lab. dated 09/04/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Delhi, wef 1st Apr 2025
Order No. F.No.(142)/02/MW/VII/Part file/211-241 dated 15/04/2025 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Daman and Diu, wef 1st Apr 2026
UT of DNH & DD order No. LE/LI/DMN/MWA-3(II)/2026/70 dated 30/04/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Dadra and Nagar Haveli, wef 1st Apr 2026
UT of DNH & DD order No. LE/LI/DMN/MWA-3(II)/2026/70 dated 30/04/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Chhattisgarh, wef 1st Oct 2026
Labour Commissioner notification No. 2660 dated 08/10/2026 (valid till 31/03/2027) – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Bihar, wef 1st Apr 2026
VDA notification under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, effective 01/04/2026, Labour Resources Department, Bihar – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Assam, wef 1st Jan 2026
Notification No. E-238621/703 dated 17/06/2026 (VDA revision) – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, wef 1st Jul 2026
Order No. 229, F. No. A-196/1/2022-Lab.Ins-I-LAB_AN dated 29/06/2026 – Official notification
Minimum Wages Rates for Arunachal Pradesh, wef 1st Apr 2016
Notification No. LAB(MW)-22/2016, Department of Labour and Employment – Archived copy of the official notification
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