Bengaluru

Thegovernment issued a notification on Saturday increasing minimum wages for workers by an average of 60 per cent, a move expected to benefit more than one crore labourers across the state.

With the latest notification, Karnataka has become the third state in the country to issue such a revised minimum wage notification after Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Officials stated that the revision has been implemented in line with the Supreme Court guidelines laid down in the 1991 Reptakos Brett case, taking into account household expenditure patterns and rising living costs. Labour Minister Santosh S. Lad said the revised minimum wage system would significantly benefit workers across the state.

“After deductions towards ESI and PF, many workers were left with very little take-home salary. Some had even fallen outside the BPL category. This wage revision will provide major relief to such workers. It is a revolutionary step aimed at improving the lives of labourers who contribute to nation-building,” he said.

The minister said extensive consultations had been held with labour unions, employers, experts, and legal professionals before finalising the notification. The revised wage structure, announced through the Labour Department, is aimed at providing financial relief to workers employed in the unorganised and specified sectors. The revision has been carried out in accordance with directions issued by the Supreme Court.

For the first time, all scheduled employments have been brought under a single notification. The government has also revised the earlier four-zone classification system into a three-zone structure for wage calculation.