This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers employed in Bakeries and Confectionery in Maharashtra, set out by skill category and, where notified, by zone. Use it to check the correct rate for a specific bakery or confectionery role in Maharashtra before you set pay or agree wages.
Minimum wage rates for Bakeries and Confectionery in Maharashtra
| Category | Basic | Special allow. | Total (Zone I) | Total (Zone II) | Total (Zone III) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹10,021 | ₹3,900 | ₹13,921 | ₹13,325 | ₹12,728 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹10,856 | ₹3,900 | ₹14,756 | ₹14,160 | ₹13,564 |
| Skilled | ₹11,632 | ₹3,900 | ₹15,532 | ₹14,936 | ₹14,340 |
Rates effective 1 January to 30 June 2026.
What counts as Bakeries and Confectionery
The Bakeries and Confectionery scheduled employment covers establishments engaged in making, baking, and finishing bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries, rusks, chocolates, and sweets, including the mixing, fermentation, proofing, baking, decorating, and packing of these products. It applies to workers across production, finishing, and dispatch of baked and confectionery goods.
- Commercial bread and bun bakeries
- Biscuit, rusk, and cracker manufacturing units
- Cake shops, patisseries, and pastry outlets
- Confectionery and chocolate manufacturing units
- Sweetmeat (halwai) and mithai making units
- In-house bakery sections of hotels, restaurants, and clubs
- Cold storage and packing units attached to bakeries
Typical roles and skill categories
- Master Baker or Head Baker
- Baker
- Oven-man or furnace operator
- Dough maker or mixing machine operator
- Confectioner
- Cake decorator or icing artist
- Sweetmeat maker (halwai)
- Packer and dispatch helper
- Loader, cleaner, and general helper
In this employment, unskilled roles usually cover helpers, loaders, cleaners, and packers, while semi-skilled roles cover oven attendants and mixing or dough-handling machine operators. Skilled work typically means bakers, confectioners, and sweetmeat makers, and highly-skilled work covers master bakers, pastry chefs, cake decorators, and chocolatiers.
Who fixes this wage
Bakeries and Confectionery is a notified scheduled employment for which the Maharashtra government fixes minimum wages by skill category, and often by geographical zone. Every covered establishment must pay at least the rate notified for the relevant category and area.
How Maharashtra sets minimum wages
Maharashtra sets minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule by building each rate from a basic component and a special allowance, then totalling the two across three zones. Rates are given for three categories, and the totals shown apply from 1 January to 30 June 2026, with a revised special allowance taking effect from 1 July 2026. This basic-plus-allowance method is how the state keeps wages current rather than a single consolidated figure.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Bakeries and Confectionery in Maharashtra?
In Maharashtra, the minimum wage for Bakeries and Confectionery currently runs from about ₹3900 to ₹15532 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 January to 30 June 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.
Are cake decorators and confectioners covered by the Bakeries and Confectionery minimum wage in Maharashtra?
Yes. Decorators, icing artists, confectioners, and sweetmeat makers fall within this scheduled employment in Maharashtra, and they are usually placed in the skilled or highly-skilled category depending on the finishing work they perform.
Does the rate change for a bakery in a large city compared with a smaller town in Maharashtra?
It often does, because Maharashtra commonly notifies zone-wise rates for this employment. Check which zone your bakery or confectionery unit falls in, then apply the category rate fixed for that zone.
How should a bakery classify a worker who both helps with loading and operates the dough mixing machine?
Classification follows the skill of the work actually performed, so a worker who regularly runs the mixing or dough machinery is generally treated as semi-skilled rather than as an unskilled helper. When duties span categories, apply the category matching the higher-skill task the worker does as a regular part of the job.
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