The Government of West Bengal, Labour Commissionerate, Statistics Section, has issued Circular No. 30/Stat/14/RW/24/2023/LCS/JLC, dated 22nd June 2026, revising the minimum rates of wages for employees employed in scheduled employments across the State of West Bengal.
The revised minimum wages shall be effective from 1st July 2026 to 31st December 2026.
Applicability
The revised rates are applicable to employees working in scheduled employments such as manufacturing establishments, shops and establishments, hotels and restaurants, hospitals, security services, courier services, malls, laundries, IT industry, salons and beauty parlours, automobile workshops, clinical establishments and other notified industries.
Revised Minimum Wages
Category of Employee | Zone A Monthly Rate | Zone A Daily Rate | Zone B Monthly Rate | Zone B Daily Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unskilled | ₹10,558 | ₹406 | ₹9,760 | ₹375 |
Semi-skilled | ₹11,615 | ₹447 | ₹10,733 | ₹413 |
Skilled | ₹12,777 | ₹491 | ₹11,807 | ₹454 |
Highly Skilled | ₹14,054 | ₹541 | ₹12,990 | ₹500 |
Note: The above rates are commonly applicable across several scheduled employments. Employers should verify the exact scheduled employment and category-wise rate applicable to their establishment, as certain industries have specific notified rates.
Zone Classification
Zone | Area Covered |
Zone A | Areas under Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Areas, Development Authorities, Thermal Power Plant Areas including Township Areas |
Zone B | Rest of West Bengal |
Important Compliance Points
The monthly wage rate shall be divided by 26 days to arrive at the daily wage rate, rounded off to the nearest rupee.
A normal working day shall consist of 8 hours of actual work, with not less than half an hour of recess, subject to 48 hours of actual work in a week.
One day in every seven days shall be treated as the weekly rest day. The minimum rates of wages include wages for the weekly rest day.
Any work performed on the weekly rest day or beyond normal working hours shall be paid at double the ordinary rate of wages.
Where any employee is already receiving wages higher than the notified minimum wages due to contract, agreement or existing practice, such higher wages must be protected.
The revised minimum wages are also applicable to employees engaged through contractors.
Men and women employees shall receive the same rate of wages for the same work or work of similar nature.
Employer Action Required
All employers in West Bengal should review their wage structure and ensure that wages payable from July 2026 payroll onwards are not below the revised minimum wages.
HR, payroll teams, contractors and compliance officers should update wage registers, contractor billing, overtime calculations and payroll systems in line with the revised rates.
Conclusion
The revision of minimum wages in West Bengal from 1st July 2026 reinforces the responsibility of employers to ensure fair wage payment across skill categories and geographical zones. Employers should conduct an immediate compliance review and implement the revised rates within the prescribed effective period.