Compliance Requirements

1. Revised Minimum Wages – 45 Scheduled Employments (Schedule Part I)

The revised rates, set out in Schedule “Kh”, apply from October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Wage zones. Zone “A” covers the areas within, and up to 16 km from, the limits of the Municipal Corporations of Raipur, Durg, Bhilai, Bhilai-Charoda and Birgaon; all industrial areas and industrial growth centres in the State; the Atal Nagar (Nava Raipur) development authority area; and every factory in the State licensed under the Factories Act, 1948 for 300 or more workers. Zone “B” covers the areas within, and up to 8 km from, the limits of the Municipal Corporations of Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh, Ambikapur, Jagdalpur, Chirmiri and Dhamtari. Zone “C” covers all remaining areas of the State.

2. Revised Minimum Wages – Daily-Wage Workers and Employees in State Government Departments

Daily-wage workers and employees engaged in State Government departments receive the same monthly rates as Schedule Part I, but Schedule “G” computes the daily rate on a 30-day basis, giving a daily VDA of ₹107.15 and the rounded daily totals below, effective October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

3. Revised Minimum Wages – Employment in Agriculture (Schedule Part II)

Agricultural rates are, as shown in Schedule “K”, effective October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

4. Revised Minimum Wages – Agarbatti Industry

The rates below are piece rates in rupees, as shown in Schedule “E”, effective October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Monthly or daily-rated employees connected with the agarbatti industry — such as box makers, mistris, drivers, box fillers, masala weighers, accountant-cashiers, godown keepers, typists, clerks and peons — are entitled to the unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled rates notified for the 45 general employments under Schedule Part I (Section 1 above).

5. Revised Minimum Wages – Tobacco Manufacture including Beedi Making

For the tobacco and beedi industry the VDA is revised annually. At 1 paisa per point per 1,000 beedis, the VDA for beedi rolling is ₹34.51, with proportionate rates for ancillary work as set out in Schedule “F”, effective October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.

Guaranteed weekly wage. Where an employer is unable to supply sufficient raw material (tobacco, tendu leaves and thread) for 5,600 beedis a week, the beedi roller is entitled to a guaranteed wage equal to the wage and VDA payable for 5,600 beedis per week — ₹732.20 at the current rate — which includes earnings for beedis actually rolled. The guarantee does not apply where the worker voluntarily earns less, does not fully use the raw material supplied, or where supply fails because of fire, calamity, epidemic, civil commotion or similar circumstances beyond the employer’s control.

Effective wages of beedi rollers. The notification also sets out the effective wage per 1,000 beedis rolled, including statutory additions and Provident Fund deductions:

Monthly or daily-rated employees in beedi manufacture are paid the rates for the 45 general employments under Schedule Part I, classified as follows: highly skilled — heavy-vehicle driver, accountant, data entry (computer) operator, munim, cashier and head clerk; skilled — store keeper, light-vehicle driver, typist, godown keeper, clerk and billman; semi-skilled — beedi sorter or checker and bhatti wala; and unskilled — workers loading or unloading trucks, workers on beedi bundles, peons and other labourers.

6. General Conditions Applicable to the Revised Rates

The following conditions apply across the notifications:

• The revised VDA applies from October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 for Schedule Part I, government daily-wage workers, agriculture and agarbatti, and from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 for tobacco and beedi manufacture.
• Except for agriculture, the notified rates include remuneration for the weekly rest day as contemplated by Section 13(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
• Monthly wages are payable on the expiry of the calendar month; where a day’s wage is to be computed, the monthly rate is divided by 26 (by 30 for agriculture and for government daily-wage workers under Schedule “G”).
• The notified rates do not adversely affect any employee: where existing wages exceed the revised minimum, they cannot be reduced in any circumstances.
• An establishment whose prevailing wages exceed the notified basic wage plus VDA is deemed compliant; where the total paid is lower, workers are entitled to the difference.
• Piece rates must be fixed so that a worker earns not less than the minimum wage for working eight hours a day and six days a week, with one paid day of rest.
• Daily and monthly wages are rounded off: amounts of 50 paise or more are raised to the next rupee, and amounts below 50 paise are ignored.
• Where the same type of work is done in more than one scheduled employment, the employee is entitled to the better rate.
• The occupations listed against each skill category are illustrative; employees in categories not listed receive the rate payable to employees doing work of a similar nature.
• Rates under the agricultural notification are the same for men and women.