Rajasthan Govt Implements New Wage Rules, Caps Work Week At 48 Hours

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has introduced the Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, aiming to ensure transparent minimum wage determination and standardized working hours. The rules employ a skill-based classification system alongside a scientific formula for calculating minimum wages. Dearness Allowance (DA) will be linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and revised twice a year, on April 1 and October 1, to maintain wage alignment with inflation.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel announced the Cabinet's approval of the Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, 2026. The primary objective is to protect workers' interests, welfare, and ensure the smooth operation of commercial and industrial establishments in the state. The rules stipulate a maximum of 48 working hours per week. In a six-day work week, the total working period, including rest intervals, should not surpass 10.5 hours daily. The seventh day is designated as a paid weekly holiday.

Employees working on weekly holidays are to receive overtime wages at prescribed rates. Employers must provide wage slips, and the rules outline permissible statutory deductions from wages. Digital registers will be maintained for record-keeping. The state cabinet also approved the Rajasthan Industrial Relations Rules, which aim to streamline the state's labor administration framework.

Industrial disputes will be handled exclusively online, with defined timelines for resolution. Trade union elections will be conducted via a secret ballot system for fairness and transparency. Additionally, the rules provide guidelines for Works Committees and workplace grievance redressal mechanisms, as well as simplified procedures for employee retrenchment and industrial establishment closures, enhancing the ease of doing business in Rajasthan.