This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers in Saw Mills and Timber in Telangana. Whether you run a saw mill or timber establishment in Telangana or work in one, the notified rate for the relevant skill category is set out below.
Minimum wage rates for Saw Mills and Timber in Telangana
| Skill category | Zone I | Zone II | Zone III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹16,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹14,000 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹17,000 | ₹16,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Skilled | ₹18,500 | ₹17,500 | ₹16,500 |
| Highly-skilled | ₹20,000 | ₹19,000 | ₹18,000 |
Rates effective 1 June 2026.
What counts as Saw Mills and Timber
Saw Mills and Timber is a scheduled employment covering the conversion of logs and round timber into sawn wood products such as planks, beams, boards, battens and scantlings, along with the handling, grading, seasoning and stacking of timber at saw mills and timber establishments.
- Saw mills and log conversion units
- Timber depots and timber yards
- Wood seasoning and kiln drying units
- Sawn timber and planing workshops
- Timber trading and wholesale establishments
- Firewood and timber sizing units
Typical roles and skill categories
- Sawyer (saw machine operator)
- Band saw and circular saw operator
- Saw sharpener and saw setter
- Planer and cross-cut machine operator
- Timber grader, scaler and measurer
- Seasoning and kiln yard worker
- Timber stacker
- Log loader and unloader
- Yard helper and general labour
In this employment the unskilled category usually covers log loaders, yard helpers and general stacking labour, while semi-skilled covers saw machine helpers, feeders and cross-cut hands. Skilled typically maps to sawyers, planer operators and saw sharpeners, and highly-skilled to head sawyers, large band saw operators and timber grading or seasoning specialists.
Who fixes this wage
Saw Mills and Timber is a notified scheduled employment under minimum wage law, for which the Telangana government fixes minimum wages by skill category and, in many cases, separately by zone or area. Employers running saw mills or timber establishments in Telangana must pay each worker at least the rate notified for that worker's category.
How Telangana sets minimum wages
Telangana's Labour, Employment, Training and Factories Department notified a fresh schedule under the Code on Wages, 2019, dividing the state into three zones numbered I to III. Rates are set for four skill categories across those zones, taking effect from 1 June 2026. The wages are established by this direct notification rather than through a variable dearness allowance.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Saw Mills and Timber in Telangana?
In Telangana, the minimum wage for Saw Mills and Timber currently runs from about ₹14000 to ₹20000 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 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.
Which saw mill workers are covered by the Telangana minimum wage for this employment?
All persons employed in sawing, converting, handling, grading, seasoning and stacking timber at a saw mill or timber establishment are covered, whether they are paid daily, monthly or on a piece-rate basis, and whether they are engaged directly or through a contractor.
How do I decide the correct skill category for a sawyer as against a saw helper?
Classification follows the nature of the work, not the job title alone: a worker who independently sets and operates the saw to convert timber is generally treated as skilled, while a worker who only feeds logs, removes offcuts or assists the operator falls under the semi-skilled or unskilled category. Pay the category rate that matches the actual duties performed.
Does per-log or piece-rate payment to timber workers still have to meet the minimum wage in Telangana?
Yes. Where sawing, planing or sizing is paid per log or per unit of output, the piece rate must be fixed so that a worker's earnings for a normal working day are not less than the minimum wage notified for that skill category in Telangana.
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