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All-State Comparison Table
15 states ranked from highest to lowest unskilled wage. Spot where your state stands at a glance. Delhi at Rs 18,456 to Rajasthan at Rs 7,410.
Free Minimum Wages Chart for 15 Indian States (FY 2025-26)
State-wise, zone-wise, and skill-level minimum wage rates in one printable PDF. Updated for the Code on Wages 2019 changes.
- 15 major states covered: Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and 10 more
- 4 skill levels (Unskilled to Highly Skilled) with zone-wise breakdowns where applicable
- Code on Wages 2019 changes, penalty chart, and employer compliance checklist included
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Petpooja presents
Minimum Wages Reference Chart
State-wise & Industry-wise
15
Indian states · PDF guide
FY 2025-26
What's Inside
Everything you need to verify minimum wage compliance.
02
Zone-wise Breakdowns
Maharashtra's 3 zones, Karnataka's 4 zones, Gujarat's 2 zones. Exact rates for each zone so multi-location businesses pay the right amount per branch.
03
Skill-Level Rates
Unskilled, Semi-Skilled, Skilled, and Highly Skilled rates for every state. Know exactly what to pay each category of employee.
04
Code on Wages 2019 Changes
Universal coverage, national floor wage provision, and the 50% basic pay rule. What every employer needs to know about the new law.
05
Penalty Chart
Old Act vs new Code penalties side-by-side. Fines up to Rs 1,00,000 and imprisonment up to 3 months for repeat offences. Know the risk.
06
Employer Compliance Checklist
8 mandatory actions: display rates, maintain registers, issue wage slips, pay overtime at double rate. All with Act/Section references.
Why This Matters
Why minimum wages are harder to track than most employers think
India doesn't have one minimum wage. It has hundreds. Each state sets its own rates, broken down by industry, skill level, and geographic zone. These rates change every 6 months in most states, tracked by the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Delhi pays Rs 18,456/month to an unskilled worker. Rajasthan pays Rs 7,410 for the same category. That's a 2.5x gap between two Indian states. If you run a business in multiple states, each branch must follow its own state's rate. Getting it wrong in even one location is a compliance violation under Section 22 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
The Code on Wages 2019 makes things more urgent. It came into effect in November 2025, replacing four old labour laws. The biggest change: minimum wages now cover every employee, not just those in "scheduled employments." And basic pay must be at least 50% of total remuneration, which directly impacts how you structure CTC and salary.
Most employers don't underpay on purpose. They just don't know which rate applies to their state, zone, and skill category. Or they miss a revision because the state quietly updated rates in April while the business was focused on year-end closing.
This reference chart puts all 15 major state rates in one document. Pin it to your HR folder. Check it every April and October when most states revise rates. If you handle PF and ESI compliance too, this chart pairs well with the compliance checklist.
Sample Preview
5 data points from the reference chart.
Here's a preview of what you'll find inside:
Delhi (Apr 2026): Unskilled Rs 18,456/month, Skilled Rs 22,411/month, Graduate Clerical Rs 24,356/month. No zonal division. Source: labour.delhi.gov.in
Maharashtra (Jan 2026): S&E Zone I Unskilled Rs 17,544, Semi-Skilled Rs 18,344, Skilled Rs 19,044. VDA component Rs 3,900/month.
Haryana (Apr 2026): Operates under Code on Wages framework. Wages cannot be split into allowances. Unskilled Rs 15,221, Highly Skilled Rs 19,426.
Kerala (Feb 2026): Unique district-wise DA system. Total wages range from Rs 13,734 (Wayanad) to Rs 15,950 (Mundakayam). Single-rate application = compliance failure.
Code on Wages penalty: First offence fine up to Rs 50,000. Repeat within 5 years: up to 3 months jail or Rs 1,00,000 fine. Section 54.
... plus 10 more states, central government rates, and the full employer compliance checklist in the PDF.
Key Stats
The numbers that matter for minimum wage compliance.
2.5x
Gap between the highest (Delhi, Rs 18,456) and lowest (Rajasthan, Rs 7,410) state minimum wage for unskilled workers.
Source: State Labour Dept notifications, FY 2025-26Rs 1L
Maximum fine for repeat non-compliance under Section 54, Code on Wages 2019. Plus up to 3 months imprisonment.
Source: Code on Wages 2019, Section 546 months
Most states revise minimum wages every 6 months (April and October). Miss one revision and you're underpaying until you catch it.
Source: Chief Labour Commissioner, clc.gov.in
Common Mistakes
6 minimum wage mistakes that cost Indian employers.
01
Applying one rate across multiple states
Each state sets its own minimum wage. A restaurant chain paying Delhi rates to staff in Rajasthan is overpaying. The reverse is illegal. Multi-state businesses need state-specific payroll.
02
Missing the April/October revision
Most states revise rates twice a year. If you don't update pay within 30 days of a new notification, every salary paid after the effective date is technically underpayment.
03
Ignoring zone classification for multi-branch businesses
Maharashtra has 3 zones. Karnataka has 4. A shop in Mumbai (Zone I) has a different minimum wage than one in a rural Maharashtra town (Zone III). Each branch must use its own zone rate.
04
Not classifying employees by skill level
Paying all staff the unskilled rate when some qualify as semi-skilled or skilled isn't "safe." Inspectors check skill classification during audits. Get it right from the start.
05
Not displaying minimum wages at the workplace
Section 12(2) of the Minimum Wages Act requires employers to prominently display applicable rates. Missing this is a separate violation, even if you're paying correctly.
06
Ignoring the 50% basic pay rule under Code on Wages
The Code on Wages requires basic pay to be at least 50% of total remuneration. If your salary structure has basic at 30-40%, you'll need to restructure. This also affects PF and gratuity calculations.
Comparison
Searching Google vs this reference chart.
| Aspect | Searching Google Each Time | With This Reference Chart |
|---|---|---|
| Finding your state's rate | Multiple websites, conflicting data, outdated results | One PDF, 15 states, sorted highest to lowest |
| Zone-wise accuracy | Most sites show only one rate per state | All zones listed with municipal classification details |
| Skill-level breakdown | Rarely shown beyond unskilled rate | 4 skill levels for every state |
| Code on Wages changes | Scattered across legal blogs, hard to verify | Key changes summarised with section references |
| Penalties | Old Act penalties mixed with new Code | Side-by-side comparison: old vs new penalties |
| Revision tracking | No reminder, rates go stale without notice | Revision cycle noted per state (Apr/Oct dates) |
| Time per lookup | 15-20 minutes of searching and cross-checking | Under 30 seconds in the PDF |
Stop Googling minimum wages every month.
Download the free reference chart. Pin it to your HR folder.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
How often are minimum wages revised in India?
Most states revise twice a year, typically in April and October. Some states like Maharashtra revise in January and July. Rajasthan revises every 2 years with interim VDA adjustments. The chart notes the revision cycle for each state. If you handle PF and ESI alongside payroll, the PF & ESI Compliance Checklist tracks those deadlines too.
Is the Code on Wages 2019 already in effect?
Yes. The Code on Wages 2019 became effective on 21 November 2025. Central Rules were notified on 8 May 2026. However, states are at different stages of framing their own rules. Until a state notifies its rules, the old Minimum Wages Act 1948 structure continues to apply in that state.
Does the chart cover hotel and restaurant-specific rates?
The chart primarily covers Shops & Establishments rates, which apply to most businesses. Hotels and restaurants often have separate scheduled employment rates. The chart notes where separate hotel rates exist but focuses on the S&E rates that apply to the broadest set of employers.
What's the penalty for paying below minimum wages?
Under the Code on Wages 2019, first offence attracts a fine of up to Rs 50,000. Repeat offence within 5 years: up to 3 months imprisonment or Rs 1,00,000 fine, or both. The old Minimum Wages Act has lower penalties but some states have amended them upward. The chart includes the full penalty comparison.
Can I use this chart for CTC/salary structuring?
Yes. When structuring CTC, basic salary should not fall below the minimum wage for the applicable state, zone, and skill category. Use this chart alongside the CTC Salary Structure Calculator to ensure your salary breakup is compliant. The free salary calculator can also show you the take-home impact of different basic pay levels.
About Petpooja
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Petpooja Payroll handles state-wise minimum wage compliance automatically. Set the state, zone, and skill category once per employee. When rates change, Payroll updates them. PF, ESI, and PT calculated on top. Trusted by 30,000+ businesses.
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