This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers employed in Oil Mills in Karnataka. Whether you run an oil mill or work in one, you can check the latest notified rates for Karnataka below, arranged by skill category.
Minimum wage rates for Oil Mills in Karnataka
| Category of worker | Zone I | Zone II | Zone III | Zone IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹620.66 | ₹599.43 | ₹579.22 | ₹559.97 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹665.22 | ₹641.88 | ₹619.65 | ₹598.47 |
| Skilled | ₹714.25 | ₹688.57 | ₹664.11 | ₹640.82 |
| Highly-skilled | ₹768.18 | ₹739.93 | ₹713.03 | ₹687.41 |
Rates effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
What counts as Oil Mills
Oil Mills as a scheduled employment covers establishments engaged in crushing, expelling, extracting, and refining edible and non-edible oils from oilseeds such as groundnut, mustard, sesame, copra, cottonseed, castor, linseed, and soybean, together with the handling of oilcake and other by-products.
- Oilseed crushing and expelling units (ghani, kolhu, and power-driven expellers)
- Solvent extraction plants
- Vegetable and edible oil refineries
- Copra and coconut oil mills
- Cottonseed and rice-bran oil units
- Oilcake and de-oiled cake processing units
- Oil filtering, filling, and packing units
Typical roles and skill categories
- Expeller or crushing machine operator
- Solvent extraction plant operator
- Refinery operator and boiler attendant
- Filter press operator
- Oilseed cleaner and feeder
- Filling and packing worker
- Oilcake handler and loader
- Weighbridge clerk and storekeeper
- Helper and general labourer
In Oil Mills, unskilled rates usually apply to feeders, loaders, and oilcake handlers, and semi-skilled rates to filling, packing, and machine-tending hands. Skilled rates typically cover expeller, solvent-plant, and refinery operators, while highly-skilled rates apply to technicians and supervisors overseeing extraction and refining lines.
Who fixes this wage
Oil Mills is a notified scheduled employment under the Minimum Wages Act, for which the Karnataka government fixes and periodically revises minimum rates of wages by skill category. In many cases these rates also vary by geographical zone or area class within Karnataka.
How Karnataka sets minimum wages
Karnataka fixes minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule, dividing the state into four zones numbered I to IV. Rates are set for four categories of worker and are kept current through a variable dearness allowance rather than a fresh base notification each period. The dearness-allowance revision applies from 1 April 2026 and runs through to 31 March 2027.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Oil Mills in Karnataka?
In Karnataka, the minimum wage for Oil Mills currently runs from about ₹559.97 to ₹768.18 per day, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. 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 Oil Mills minimum wage apply to seasonal groundnut or mustard crushing units?
Yes. In Karnataka the notified Oil Mills rates apply to workers whether the unit runs year-round or only during the oilseed crushing season, including those engaged on a temporary or seasonal basis for that period.
How is a worker's skill category decided in an oil mill?
It depends on the nature of the work performed, so an expeller or solvent-plant operator is treated as skilled while a feeder or oilcake loader is treated as unskilled. Employers in Karnataka should classify each worker by the actual duties handled, not by job title alone.
Are helpers and loaders who handle oilcake and oil drums covered?
Yes. General labourers, loaders, and helpers who handle oilseeds, oilcake, and oil drums fall within the Oil Mills schedule and are entitled to at least the minimum wage notified for their skill category in Karnataka.
Never underpay in Karnataka
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
Book a demo