This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for the Handloom and Powerloom employment in Delhi. It lays out the rates notified by the Delhi government by skill category, so weaving-unit employers and workers can confirm what must be paid.
Minimum wage rates for Handloom and Powerloom in Delhi
| Category of worker | Per month | Per day (26 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹18,456 | ₹710 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹20,371 | ₹784 |
| Skilled | ₹22,411 | ₹862 |
| Clerical & supervisory: non-matriculate | ₹20,371 | ₹784 |
| Clerical & supervisory: matriculate, non-graduate | ₹22,411 | ₹862 |
| Clerical & supervisory: graduate and above | ₹24,356 | ₹937 |
Rates effective 1 April 2026.
What counts as Handloom and Powerloom
Handloom and Powerloom is the scheduled employment covering the weaving and manufacture of woven fabric and made-up textile goods, on both manually operated handlooms and mechanized powerlooms. It takes in the preparatory and finishing work around weaving, such as warping, sizing, winding, cloth checking and folding.
- Handloom weaving units and weaver cooperative societies
- Powerloom sheds and powerloom factories
- Warping, sizing and beam preparation units
- Yarn winding and pirn or bobbin preparatory workshops
- Cloth finishing units handling bleaching, dyeing, calendering and folding
- Textile weaving mills producing sarees, dhotis, dress material and furnishing fabric
Typical roles and skill categories
- Handloom weaver
- Powerloom operator or weaver
- Warper
- Sizer
- Winder or pirn winder
- Loom fitter or jobber
- Jacquard and design setter
- Cloth checker and folder
- Helper or cleaner
In this employment the categories map to loom-shed duties: unskilled usually covers helpers, cleaners and bobbin or pirn carriers; semi-skilled covers winders, warpers and beginner powerloom tenders; skilled covers experienced handloom weavers, powerloom operators and sizers. Highly-skilled typically covers loom fitters, jobbers and jacquard or design setters who handle intricate patterning and machine setting.
Who fixes this wage
Handloom and Powerloom is a notified scheduled employment for which the Delhi government fixes minimum wages by skill category. These wages are commonly set by geographical zone or area classification as well, so the applicable rate depends on both the worker's skill grade and the location of the weaving unit.
How Delhi sets minimum wages
Delhi's Labour Department fixes a single set of rates for the whole of the National Capital Territory, with no zonal split. Its schedule is unusually detailed, running to six categories of worker, and each rate is quoted per month and then broken down to a daily figure over 26 days. The current wages take effect from 1 April 2026 and are revised by notification rather than by a standing dearness-allowance formula.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Handloom and Powerloom in Delhi?
In Delhi, the minimum wage for Handloom and Powerloom currently runs from about ₹710 to ₹937 per day and ₹18456 to ₹24356 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 April 2026. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Does the minimum wage differ between handloom and powerloom workers in Delhi?
Both handloom and powerloom fall under the same notified scheduled employment, so the wage is set by skill category rather than by the type of loom. A worker's rate depends on whether the role is classed as unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled or highly-skilled, and on the applicable zone in Delhi.
How does the minimum wage apply to piece-rate or per-meter weavers?
Many weaving units pay by the piece or by the length of cloth woven, but the notified minimum wage still applies as a floor. Total earnings for a normal working day or wage period must not fall below the minimum fixed for that worker's skill category in Delhi.
Which skill category applies to a powerloom operator running several looms?
A trained powerloom operator or weaver is generally treated as skilled, and where the role involves setting, fitting or supervising multiple looms it can fall under highly-skilled. Employers in Delhi should classify each worker by the duties actually performed and pay the corresponding notified rate.
Never underpay in Delhi
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
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