This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for the Handloom and Powerloom employment in Punjab. It lays out the rates notified by the Punjab government by skill category, so weaving-unit employers and workers can confirm what must be paid.
Minimum wage rates for Handloom and Powerloom 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 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 Punjab 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 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 Handloom and Powerloom in Punjab?
In Punjab, the minimum wage for Handloom and Powerloom 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.
Does the minimum wage differ between handloom and powerloom workers in Punjab?
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 Punjab.
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 Punjab.
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 Punjab should classify each worker by the duties actually performed and pay the corresponding notified rate.
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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