This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers in Chemical Works in Punjab. Whether you operate a chemical plant or work on the shop floor, the figures below reflect the rate that the Punjab government has notified for this scheduled employment by skill category and zone.
Minimum wage rates for Chemical Works in Punjab
| Category | Per day | Per month (26 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹518.69 | ₹13,486 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹553.19 | ₹14,383 |
| Skilled | ₹592.84 | ₹15,414 |
| Highly-skilled | ₹638.50 | ₹16,601 |
| Staff A (postgraduate / professional) | ₹747.34 | ₹19,431 |
| Staff B (graduate / diploma) | ₹673.46 | ₹17,510 |
| Staff C (above matriculation, certificate) | ₹607.15 | ₹15,786 |
| Staff D (Class IV / casual) | ₹554.07 | ₹14,406 |
Rates effective 1 May 2026.
What counts as Chemical Works
Chemical Works is a notified scheduled employment covering establishments engaged in the manufacture, processing, formulation, packing and handling of chemicals and chemical products, including acids, alkalis, dyes, fertilizers, pesticides and industrial gases. It also extends to allied activities such as chemical storage, effluent treatment and plant maintenance carried out within these units.
- Bulk and fine chemical manufacturing plants
- Acid, alkali and industrial gas production units
- Fertilizer and pesticide formulation and packing units
- Dyes, pigments and chemical intermediates factories
- Paint, varnish and coating manufacturing units
- Chemical storage depots and warehousing facilities
- Effluent treatment and chemical waste handling units
Typical roles and skill categories
- Plant and process operator
- Reactor and batch-plant attendant
- Boiler attendant
- Laboratory chemist and quality control assistant
- Chemical packing and filling worker
- Material handler and loader
- Maintenance fitter and electrician
- Safety and effluent-treatment operator
- Shift supervisor
In Chemical Works, unskilled rates usually apply to helpers, loaders and general cleaning staff, while semi-skilled rates cover packing, filling and machine-tending roles. Skilled and highly-skilled categories typically map to trained plant and reactor operators, boiler attendants, laboratory chemists and maintenance technicians who handle hazardous processes and instrumentation.
Who fixes this wage
Chemical Works is a notified scheduled employment for which the Punjab government fixes minimum wages by skill category, that is unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled, and frequently by geographical zone. Employers running chemical units in Punjab must pay at least the notified rate applicable to each worker's category and location.
How Punjab sets minimum wages
Punjab's Department of Labour applies a single statewide schedule with no zoning, but grades workers into the longest ladder among these states at eight categories. Each grade carries both a daily rate and a monthly rate on a 26-day basis, with the current wages effective from 1 May 2026. Revision is by notification rather than through a variable dearness allowance.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Chemical Works in Punjab?
In Punjab, the minimum wage for Chemical Works currently runs from about ₹518.69 to ₹747.34 per day and ₹13486 to ₹19431 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 May 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.
Which chemical units are covered by the Chemical Works minimum wage in Punjab?
The notification generally applies to establishments engaged in manufacturing, processing, formulating, packing and handling chemicals and chemical products, along with allied work such as storage, maintenance and effluent treatment. If your unit in Punjab carries out any of these activities, its workers are usually covered irrespective of the size of the plant.
How is a chemical worker's skill category decided for minimum wage purposes in Punjab?
Categorisation depends on the nature of the work and the training it demands, not on job title alone. A helper or loader is normally treated as unskilled, a machine tender or packer as semi-skilled, and a certified plant operator, boiler attendant or laboratory chemist as skilled or highly-skilled under the Punjab classification.
Is the dearness allowance included in the Chemical Works minimum wage in Punjab?
Yes, the minimum wage for this employment is normally made up of a basic rate plus a variable dearness allowance that the Punjab government revises periodically to reflect the cost of living. The rate shown on this page is the total of these components, and statutory safety measures such as personal protective equipment for hazardous work must be provided over and above it, not adjusted against it.
Never underpay in Punjab
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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