How West Bengal sets its minimum wages
West Bengal fixes minimum wages per scheduled employment, and a general skill-band schedule (unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled) governs Shops and Commercial Establishments, split across two zones. The rates are consolidated totals, and the daily figure is the monthly figure divided by 26.
These figures apply for 1 July to 31 December 2026 and will be revised on 1 January 2027. Zone B is unchanged from the previous revision, while Zone A rose.
West Bengal revises minimum wages twice a year, effective 1 January and 1 July, through a variable dearness allowance. The current figures apply until 31 December 2026.
Zones in West Bengal
- Zone A is areas under Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Areas, Development Authorities and thermal power township areas.
- Zone B is the rest of West Bengal.
What employers must do
- Pay every worker at least the notified minimum for their skill category and zone. Paying below it is an offence.
- Pay overtime at twice the ordinary rate for work beyond normal hours.
- Maintain a wage register, muster roll and wage slips, and pay within the wage period.
- Update payroll at each revision so no worker slips below the new minimum.
For contractors and staffing firms deploying workers across West Bengal, keeping every worker on the right skill and zone rate by hand is error-prone. ZeniaHR payroll checks each worker's wage against the applicable state minimum automatically and handles the registers and PF/ESI returns.
Related calculators
Work out the deductions on a West Bengal wage with our free tools: the in-hand salary calculator, the PF calculator and the ESI calculator. Confirm the official rates on the West Bengal Labour Commissionerate.
Keep every worker on the right wage, automatically
ZeniaHR flags any worker paid below the applicable minimum wage and updates rates at each revision. Built only for manpower and staffing companies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in West Bengal in 2026?
For 1 July to 31 December 2026, an un-skilled worker earns at least ₹10,558 per month (about ₹406 per day) in Zone A, and ₹9,760 (about ₹375 per day) in Zone B. Skilled and highly-skilled rates are higher.
What are the wage zones in West Bengal?
Zone A covers Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Areas, Development Authorities and thermal power township areas. Zone B is the rest of the state. Zone A rates are higher.
How often does West Bengal revise minimum wages?
Twice a year, effective 1 January and 1 July, through a variable dearness allowance. The current figures apply until 31 December 2026 and will be revised on 1 January 2027.
What is the minimum wage for a security guard in West Bengal?
Security work generally falls under the skilled or semi-skilled band of the general schedule, so confirm the classification and pay at least that zone-wise rate.
Minimum wage by scheduled employment
- Minimum wage for Agriculture
- Minimum wage for Automobile Repair and Garage Workshops
- Minimum wage for Bakeries and Confectionery
- Minimum wage for Beauty Parlours and Salons
- Minimum wage for Brick Kilns
- Minimum wage for Call Centre and IT-enabled Services
- Minimum wage for Chemical Works
- Minimum wage for Cold Storage
- Minimum wage for Construction and Building Works
- Minimum wage for Cotton Ginning and Pressing
- Minimum wage for Courier and Delivery Services
- Minimum wage for Dairy
- Minimum wage for Domestic Workers
- Minimum wage for Electronics and Electrical Goods
- Minimum wage for Engineering Industry
- Minimum wage for Food Processing
- Minimum wage for Garment, Tailoring and Readymade
- Minimum wage for Handloom and Powerloom
- Minimum wage for Hospitals and Nursing Homes
- Minimum wage for Hotels and Restaurants
- Minimum wage for Housekeeping and Cleaning
- Minimum wage for Leather and Tanneries
- Minimum wage for Loading, Unloading and Hamali
- Minimum wage for Oil Mills
- Minimum wage for Paper and Printing Press
- Minimum wage for Petrol Pumps and Fuel Stations
- Minimum wage for Pharmaceutical Industry
- Minimum wage for Plastic Industry
- Minimum wage for Poultry Farms
- Minimum wage for Private Schools and Educational Institutions
- Minimum wage for Public Motor Transport and Drivers
- Minimum wage for Rice, Flour and Dal Mills
- Minimum wage for Saw Mills and Timber
- Minimum wage for Security Services / Watch and Ward
- Minimum wage for Shops and Establishments
- Minimum wage for Steel and Rolling Mills
- Minimum wage for Stone Breaking and Crushing
- Minimum wage for Sugar Industry
- Minimum wage for Tea and Coffee Plantations
- Minimum wage for Warehousing and Logistics