Minimum daily wages in India 2012-2023

The national floor level minimum wage in India in 2023 was 178 Indian rupees per day and has remained consistent for the last few years. The National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) is the minimum wage below which no state government can fix. Different states set their minimum wages. The NFLMW was brought into effect in 1996 by the Indian central government.

Stagnant minimum wages

The Labor Ministry revises the NFLMW every two years, below which states should not fix their minimum wage. The ministry last revised it in 2017. As per economists, the non-revision of the NFLMW hurts the wages of workers engaged in bidi production, plantations, and similar sectors that often employ women.

Living wage versus minimum wage

India plans to replace its minimum wage system with a living wage by 2025 and has sought assistance from the International Labor Organization (ILO) to develop a framework. The ILO defines a living wage as the wage level necessary to afford a decent standard of living, given a country’s circumstances, whereas the minimum wage is the lowest remuneration required by law to be paid by employers to employees for work performed during a given period. The shift aims to elevate millions out of poverty and to ensure the well-being of unorganized workers.