15% hike in minimum wages: Punjab assembly’s gift for labourers on May Day

Chandigarh: On Labour Day, the Punjab assembly unanimously passed a resolution approving a 15% increase in minimum wages after 13 years, extending the benefit to all registered workers in both govt and private sectors.In his concluding address on the resolution, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said education was the key to improving the conditions of the workers. The CM also slammed Congress over its walkout from the special session and announced a ‘Shukrana Yatra' following the passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026. Mann said, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class was last revised in 2012, and although the dearness allowance (DA) has continued to rise since then, the base rate has not been increased." Calling the revision of the minimum wages of workers a tribute to workers, he said, "The entire House recognises their immense role in the socio-economic progress of the state, and though this should have been done 13 years ago, no one paid heed due to insensitivity towards the working class." Mann said, "Two previous regimes passed without revising wages for these hardworking and resilient people, who are the backbone of society. On May Day, which symbolises the historic global struggle of labour, I pay rich tributes to those who sacrificed their lives in Chicago in 1886 to secure genuine service conditions." Targeting the opposition, he said, "The session began cordially, but Congress leaders could not digest it and boycotted it on the pretext of no issue, reflecting their myopic mindset as big landlords, businessmen and aristocrats who are least concerned about labour." On education, the CM said, "Children from weaker and underprivileged sections are excelling in govt schools due to transformation in education, with 359 students clearing JEE. Of those sharing their experiences, 9 to 10 out of 15 were children of labourers, and when they secure good placements, the destiny of their families will change." Bajwa bats for releasing pending DA instalments and dues of govt employees, pensioners Speaking in the Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue of pending DA instalments and dues of employees and pensioners. Bajwa mooted the idea of stopping the salaries of the chief minister, cabinet ministers, MLAs, and IAS and IPS officers until the dues of employees and pensioners were cleared out of that amount. Bajwa sought an increase of daily wage of labourers from Rs 400 to Rs 650. He said while labourers were getting a monthly wage of Rs 12000 to Rs 13000 in Punjab, Haryana was paying Rs 18500 per month to them. Bajwa also said that nearly Rs 1200 cr was lying with the Building & Other Construction Workers (BOCW) welfare board and the same should be given to the beneficiaries as financial assistance for treatment, education and housing. Responding to this, CM Mann said most of the construction workers in Punjab came from Bihar and UP and were not registering themselves with the board. Calling Bajwa a senior political leader having vast experience, Mann asked for "assistance" from Bajwa. Cabinet minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said as compared to Rs 150 crore released to beneficiaries in five years of the previous Congress-led govt, the AAP-led govt released Rs 350 cr to the beneficiaries in four years, registering a "four times increase." Meanwhile, announcing the ‘Shukrana Yatra', Mann said, "To express gratitude to the Almighty, I will embark on a Shukrana Yatra from Anandpur Sahib on May 6 and until May 9 will pay obeisance at Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Damdama Sahib, Mastuana Sahib, Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib and Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, with the sole motive of thanking the Almighty for giving the strength and courage to pass this important Act."
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