Fri Sep 27 17:45:26 UTC 2024: ## India Raises Minimum Wages for Informal Sector Workers, Sparking Mixed Reactions
**New Delhi, India** – The Indian government announced a slight increase in minimum wages for workers in informal sectors such as construction, mining, and agriculture, effective October 1st. The move, intended to address rising costs of living, follows protests from workers demanding a more substantial wage hike and the repeal of recent labor codes.
The adjustment in the Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) reflects a 2.40-point increase in the consumer price index (CPI) for industrial workers. This will result in a daily minimum wage of 783 rupees ($9.36) for unskilled workers, 868 rupees for semi-skilled workers, and 1,035 rupees for highly skilled workers in the upper-most band.
While the government cites the VDA increase as a response to inflation, thousands of workers across India had previously staged protests calling for a more significant wage hike. Their grievances also include opposition to four new labor codes, which they claim favor multinational corporations over their interests.
The minimum wage is adjusted twice a year, in April and October, based on the six-month average rise in the CPI for industrial workers.
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