Should the state government review the minimum wages announced for 84 scheduled jobs?

The proposed monthly minimum wage ranges from ₹19,300 for an unskilled worker in Zone 3 to ₹31,114 for a highly skilled worker in Zone 1. | Photo credit: File photo

Just over a month after the revision of minimum wages for 84 scheduled jobs was announced, the Karnataka government has learned that it is interested in revising the revised minimum wages in light of opposition from industrial bodies.

Preliminary meeting

The proposed minimum wage is expected to be discussed again by the cabinet, which will discuss the implications of the minimum wage revision and legal status before making a decision. It was learned that a preliminary meeting had already taken place in this regard with the participation of officials from the Ministries of Finance, Trade and Industry and Labour, after which the Ministry of Labor was informed that it was preparing a government report.

The proposed monthly minimum wage ranges from ₹19,300 for an unskilled worker in Zone 3 to ₹31,114 for a highly skilled worker in Zone 1. In the past few months, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, which have witnessed labor unrest, have revised minimum wages.

The pay change announcement, which comes after nine years, was issued on 22 May 2026 and was widely welcomed by unions. The revised wages, which are about 40% higher, are expected to provide relief to over one billion households affected by price hikes in Karnataka. However, industry bodies termed the hike as too steep and expressed fear of capital flight from Karnataka. A petition against the notification is currently pending before the Karnataka High Court. However, the court did not delay the notification.

The Ministry of Labor and unions pointed out that the last revision in 2016-17, when minimum wages were revised by 71% to 91% for 37 scheduled jobs, was upheld by the High Court.

Gray area

Sources said the labor ministry is preparing a note on the matter to be submitted to the government. “It is alleged that the minimum wages were announced without the Cabinet’s approval. That is why the matter is going to the Cabinet. However, the Ministry of Labor claims that it went through the Minimum Wage Committee, which is independent. Whether it should have been submitted to the government or not is a gray area,” the sources explained.

The revision of the announced minimum wages has been rife in recent weeks and pending in most private sector industries. According to the Labor Department, the revised wages have been introduced by state boards and corporations, while unions say a number of industries are expected to introduce minimum wages in July.

After consultations

“The revision of the minimum wage was a long and deliberate consultative process involving all stakeholders, including employers, employees, trade unions and government representatives, including the Department of Labour, Commerce and Industry and Finance. All stakeholders were given an opportunity to raise their objections in the State Minimum Wages Advisory Committee,” said All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) secretary and M. Satyan M.

He pointed out that the rates were arrived at after studying the data on the growth of food, clothing and housing prices in 16 centers in the state as per the norms laid down by the Supreme Court in the Raptakos Brett case. “Any move to review or withdraw the final notification will be patently illegal as per the earlier order of the Supreme Court bench. We will take to the streets if the hard-fought benefits are affected,” he said.

Published – 29 Jun 2026 20:28 IST