Background
Under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (Central Act No. 11 of 1948), the Labour Commissioner, Chhattisgarh (Naya Raipur), as the competent authority, issued Notification No. 08/न्यूवे/श्र.आ/2026/961 dated March 24, 2026, fixing the revised minimum wage and variable dearness allowance rates applicable district-wide for the period April 1, 2026 to September 30, 2026, for workers and employees, including those paid from the contingency fund, across various categories.
Applicability
This order applies to all employers in Raipur district engaging workers under the 45 scheduled employments listed in Schedule-B (wages computed on a 26-day month), and to government departments engaging employees under Schedule-C (wages computed on a 30-day month), across both Zone A (comprising the Raipur Municipal Corporation and Birgaon limits, the area up to 16 km from the Municipal Corporation limit, all industrial areas and industrial development centres of Raipur district, Atal Nagar, the Raipur Development Authority area, and all factories licensed under the Factories Act, 1948 for 300 or more workers) and Zone C (the remaining area of Raipur district). It extends to employees paid from the contingency fund across the district.
These rates do not apply to the Public Works Department, the Irrigation Department, and the Public Health Engineering Department; the minimum wage rates applicable to these departments are those separately issued by the Labour Commissioner, Chhattisgarh, under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
Compliance Requirements
The order prescribes monthly and daily minimum wage rates for four worker categories – Unskilled, Semi-skilled, Skilled, and Highly Skilled – each illustrated with representative designations (e.g., unskilled: labourer, coolie, watchman, sweeper, helper; semi-skilled: assistant fitter, assistant welder, store assistant, clerk, typist; skilled: mason, carpenter, machine operator, accountant, cashier; highly skilled: computer operator, stenographer, diploma-holder technical staff, sales executive), and separately for Zone A and Zone C. Daily rates under Schedule-B are derived by dividing the monthly rate by 26 days, and under Schedule-C by dividing the monthly rate by 30 days.
Category | Zone | Schedule-B Monthly (₹) | Schedule-B Daily (₹) | Schedule-C Monthly (₹) | Schedule-C Daily (₹) |
Unskilled | A | 11,402.00 | 438.54 (439) | 11,402.00 | 380.07 (380) |
Unskilled | C | 10,882.00 | 418.54 (419) | 10,882.00 | 362.73 (363) |
Semi-skilled | A | 12,052.00 | 463.54 (464) | 12,052.00 | 401.73 (402) |
Semi-skilled | C | 11,532.00 | 443.54 (444) | 11,532.00 | 384.40 (384) |
Skilled | A | 12,832.00 | 493.54 (494) | 12,832.00 | 427.73 (428) |
Skilled | C | 12,312.00 | 473.54 (474) | 12,312.00 | 410.40 (410) |
Highly Skilled | A | 13,612.00 | 523.54 (524) | 13,612.00 | 453.73 (454) |
Highly Skilled | C | 13,092.00 | 503.54 (504) | 13,092.00 | 436.40 (436) |
The order also prescribes reduced monthly rates for half-time and, for the Unskilled category only, two-hour part-time engagement:
Category | Half-Time – Zone A (₹/month) | Half-Time – Zone C (₹/month) | Part-Time (2 hrs) – Zone A (₹/month) | Part-Time (2 hrs) – Zone C (₹/month) |
Unskilled | 5,701.00 | 5,441.00 | 2,851.00 | 2,721.00 |
Semi-skilled | 6,026.00 | 5,766.00 | – | – |
Skilled | 6,416.00 | 6,156.00 | – | – |
Highly Skilled | 6,806.00 | 6,546.00 | – | – |
For effective implementation of the minimum wage across scheduled employments, the State has been divided into three zones – A, B and C. Zone A, for Raipur district, comprises the area within the Raipur Municipal Corporation and Birgaon limits, the area up to 16 km from the Municipal Corporation limit, all industrial areas and industrial development centres of Raipur district, Atal Nagar, the Raipur Development Authority area, and all factories licensed under the Factories Act, 1948 for 300 or more workers. Zone B does not pertain to Raipur district. The remaining area of Raipur district, excluding the area falling under Zone A, is treated as Zone C.
The categories of workers and their designations listed under the order are illustrative examples and not exhaustive; workers whose designation is not mentioned are entitled to the minimum wage rate applicable to workers performing work of a similar nature. Classification of workers and employees into categories/classes is as per Chhattisgarh Labour Department Notification No. F10-4/2016/16 dated March 29, 2017.
Penalty and Consequences
The Minimum Wages Act, 1948, under which this order is issued, provides under Section 22 that an employer who pays an employee less than the minimum rate of wages fixed for that employee’s class of work, or who contravenes any rule or order made under Section 13 of the Act, is punishable with imprisonment for a term extending up to six months, or with fine extending up to ₹500, or with both. Under Section 22A, any employer who contravenes any other provision of the Act or of any rule or order made thereunder, for which no specific penalty is otherwise provided, is punishable with a fine extending up to ₹500.
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