Parliament Question: Stagnation in Rural Wages

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2549 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026 STAGNATION IN RURAL WAGES

2549. DR. KAKOLI GHOSH DASTIDAR:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to

state:

(a)the details of the real wage of the agriculture labourer, non- agriculture labourer and construction workers during the last five years and the current year, year-wise;

(b) whether it is a fact that there has not been a significant increase in real wage for agriculture labourers, non-agriculture labourers and construction workers during the said period;and

(c) if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (c): The Ministry of Labour and Employment does not maintain centrally compiled data on the average real wages of agriculture labourers, non-agriculture labourers and construction workers.

Labour being in the Concurrent List, both the Central Government and the State Governments are empowered to fix, review and revise minimum wages. Further, minimum wages for most categories of workers are determined and implemented by the respective State Governments in accordance with the provisions of the Code on Wages, 2019 and the earlier Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (now subsumed under the Code).

The minimum rates of wages for employments under the Central Sphere are notified by the Central Government and are revised periodically based on increase in Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW). The details of the minimum wages notified by the Central Government as on 01.10.2025 are available at

https://clc.gov.in/clc/sites/default/files/mygov_17592265211.pdf *****