Mohandas Pai Endorses Centre's Minimum Wage Hike Proposal, Urges Industry to Improve

India Considers National Minimum Wage Hike Amid Labour Unrest

India's national minimum wage is set to see a significant hike, with the Centre reportedly considering a daily wage range of Rs 350-Rs 450. This move comes as the Union Labour Ministry works on a revised wage framework covering unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers. The proposed structure would see the national floor wage serve as a baseline across the country, with states required to align their wage rates accordingly.

Under the Code on Wages, 2019, no state can fix minimum wages below the centrally notified floor. Monthly wages are typically calculated by multiplying the daily wage by 26 working days. The Centre's move is seen as a response to recent labour unrest in parts of northern India, where workers have demanded higher wages.

Some states have already taken steps to revise pay scales. In Haryana, minimum wages have been raised by around 35%, taking monthly earnings for unskilled workers to about Rs 15,200. In Uttar Pradesh, wages for unskilled workers in Noida and Ghaziabad have been increased from Rs 11,313 to Rs 13,690 per month, with similar hikes for semi-skilled and skilled categories.

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Meanwhile, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have linked recent worker protests in Noida to alleged misinformation campaigns. Police said social media accounts purportedly operated from Pakistan were used to circulate misleading content aimed at inciting unrest. The protests turned violent in parts of Gautam Buddh Nagar, with incidents of stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism reported.

In response to the situation, the state government has announced the formation of a wage board to guide future revisions, signifying a broader policy push on labour compensation even as the Centre weighs a nationwide wage reset. TV Mohandas Pai, a former Infosys executive and chairman of Aarin Capital Partners, has backed the Centre's proposal, calling for periodic revisions and greater industry responsibility amid rising concerns over low worker pay.