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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4421
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026
WAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURER
4421. SMT. MAMATA THAKUR:
Will the Minister of Labour and Employment be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that national average outstanding loan per
agricultural household is over ₹ 74,000;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether it is a fact that wage of an agricultural labourer is just ₹
363 per day; and
(d) if so, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The average amount of outstanding loan per agricultural
household in rural areas of the country is estimated through the
“Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households”,
conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO),Ministry of
Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), during 77th
round of the Survey (January, 2019 – December, 2019). As per the
latest SAS, the State/UT-wise average amount of outstanding loan
per agricultural household during agricultural year July, 2018- June,
2019 is given in Annexure.
Also as per the study mentioned above, the average
monthly income per agricultural household from various sources is
estimated at Rs. 10,218/- per month.
The Code on Wages, 2019 empowers both Central and
State Governments as appropriate governments to fix, review and
revise the minimum rates of wages for the establishments falling
under their respective jurisdiction. However, such data for State-
wise minimum rate of wages is not maintained centrally.
Contd..2/-::2::
The Central Government revises the Variable Dearness
Allowance (V.D.A.) every six months, effective 1st April and 1st
October, based on the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers,
to offset inflation. The latest V.D.A. order effective from 01.4.2026
is available at
https://clc.gov.in/clc/sites/default/files/mygov_17748804861.pdf
As per notification dated 30.03.2026 issued by the office
of CLC (Central), the minimum rate of wages (including VDA) for the
workers employed in Agriculture (unskilled) for Area-C is Rs.478/-
per day.
* *****Annexure
ANNEXURE REFFERED IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (d) OF RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4421 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026 REGARDING
‘WAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURER’.
Sl.No. State/Group of NE Average amount (Rs.) of outstanding loan per
States/Group of UTs Agricultural household
1 Andhra Pradesh 2,45,554
2 Arunachal Pradesh 3,581
3 Assam 16,407
4 Bihar 23,534
5 Chhattisgarh 21,443
6 Gujarat 56,568
7 Haryana 1,82,922
8 Himachal Pradesh 85,825
9 Jammu & Kashmir 30,435
10 Jharkhand 8,415
11 Karnataka 1,26,240
12 Kerala 2,42,482
13 Madhya Pradesh 74,420
14 Maharashtra 82,085
15 Manipur 5,551
16 Meghalaya 2,237
17 Mizoram 23,485
18 Nagaland 1,750
19 Odisha 32,721
20 Punjab 2,03,249
21 Rajasthan 1,13,865
22 Sikkim 32,185
23 TamilNadu 1,06,553
24 Telangana 1,52,113
25 Tripura 23,944
26 Uttarakhand 48,338
27 Uttar Pradesh 51,107
28 West Bengal 26,452
Group of NE States 10,034
Group of UTs 25,629
All India 74,121
Source: NSS Report No.587: Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households and Land
and Livestock Holdings of Households in Rural India, 2019
*****