The Government of West Bengal has issued a notification on December 4th 2024 , revising the minimum wage rates for scheduled employments in the state, effective from January 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025. The revised rates will apply to thirty scheduled employments across various industries, with implementation across two zones in the state.
Scheduled Employments Affected:
The revised minimum wage rates apply to the following 30 scheduled employments in West Bengal:
- Manufacturing establishments (not covered by other schedules)
- Automobile engineering, repairing workshops, and garages
- Beverage manufacturing & vending establishments
- Biscuit manufacturing
- Bottling and packaging industry
- Clinical establishments, including laboratories and diagnostic centres
- Confectionery and sweet manufacturing
- Consumer co-operative societies, primary agricultural co-operatives/marketing societies
- Courier services
- Engineering units (employing less than 50 persons)
- Shops & establishments
- Floor and wall tiles manufacturing
- Garments manufacturing industry
- Glass industry
- Hotels and restaurants (including canteens, clubs, and guest houses)
- Ice cream and candy manufacturing
- Ice factories
- Information technology industry
- Jewellery manufacturing industry
- Laundries, cleaning, and dyeing plants
- Leather goods manufacturing
- Loading and unloading operations
- Malls, multiplexes, departmental stores, and mega stores
- Manufacture of rubber products
- Non-banking private financial institutions
- Private hospitals & research centres (not run by government or local authorities)
- Refractory industry
- Rolling mills (iron rods, plates, etc.)
- Salons and beauty parlours
- Security services
- Woodworks and furniture industry
Implementation Zones:
- Zone A: Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Areas, Development Authorities, Thermal Power Plant areas, including Township areas.
- Zone B: Rest of West Bengal.
Key Details on Wage Calculation:
- Daily Rate: The monthly wage should be divided by 26 to determine the daily rate (rounded to the nearest rupee).
- Weekly Rate: The daily rate should be multiplied by 6 to get the weekly rate.
- Working Hours: A normal working day consists of eight hours of work with a minimum half-hour recess, not exceeding 48 hours of work per week.
- Weekly Rest: One day in any seven-day period, as per local convenience, shall be designated as the weekly rest day. Payment for work on this rest day and overtime work will be at double the ordinary rate.
Other Key Provisions:
- If the existing wage rates for any employee (based on contract, agreement, etc.) are higher than the newly revised rates, the higher rates will be protected.
- The new minimum wage rates are also applicable to employees hired by contractors.
- Disabled persons will receive the same minimum wage rates as other workers in the same category.
- Equal wages for equal work: Men and women workers will receive equal pay for the same work or work of similar nature.
- The minimum wage rates and any variable dearness allowance will together constitute the enforceable minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
These revised wage rates aim to provide a fair and standardized income for workers across various industries in West Bengal, ensuring compliance with labor laws and promoting economic welfare.
