Should India Adopt a Uniform Wage Structure for Floor-Level Workers Nationwide?

Dear Experts, India has more states and Union Territories, but the wages of the floor-level workers vary from state to state. Why not create a uniform wage structure for all the floor-level workers?

As of now, in India, the minimum wage is state-specific, leading to disparities between the minimum wages of different states.

National Floor Level Minimum Wage Statute

To ensure a uniform wage structure and eliminate the disparity in minimum wages across the country, the Central Government has proposed the National Floor Level Minimum Wage statute, which has recently been agreed upon by the states as well.

Once this new amendment comes into force, the national floor level minimum wage will be binding on all states, requiring them to ensure that unskilled workers are paid the minimum wages set by the Center. States are free to pay more than the floor level wages if they choose to do so.

This is a positive move that will benefit around 360 million workers nationwide, most of whom are engaged in agriculture and related activities.

Regards, PBS KUMAR

Dear All,

It is nice that PBS Kumar has brought this content to this forum. It would not be right to have a uniform minimum wage because the cost of living in different states and places varies greatly. It would not be appropriate to compare the cost of living in Cuttack to that of Mumbai or Delhi, as well as Guwahati.

Once this new amendment comes into force, the national floor-level minimum wage will become binding on all states, and they will have to ensure that unskilled workers are paid the minimum wages set by the Center. If any state wishes to pay more than the floor-level wages, they are free to do so. This point should be considered, as many states may opt for higher wages. In this case, the Center must consider setting minimum wages ranging from the lowest to the highest, allowing every state to adjust based on the cost of living. It would be highly accepted by all if a uniform minimum wage for all is established, subject to the considerations mentioned above.

Thanks