Summary of this article
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved an interim minimum wage hike of up to Rs 3,000, after violent protests by factory workers in Noida and Ghaziabad demanding a hike.
The newly approved wages will be effective retroactively from April 1.
New monthly wages vary by district and skill level.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has approved an increase in the minimum wages of workers by up to Rs 3,000 following intense industrial unrest. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the hike recommended by a high-powered committee on April 13. The new rates will be effective retroactively from April 1. The move came after a violent protest by thousands of factory workers in Noida, who gathered across various parts of the city demanding higher pay and better working conditions. The unrest involved stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism.
Under the newly approved wage structure, unskilled workers will earn Rs 13,690 per month, whereas semi-skilled workers will get Rs 15,059, and skilled workers will receive a monthly wage of Rs 16,868, in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad.
In other municipal corporation areas, the wages have been increased to Rs 13,006 for unskilled workers, Rs 14,306 for semi-skilled workers, and Rs 16,025 for skilled workers.
Workers in other districts in U.P. will get a different rate. Unskilled workers’ wages are fixed at Rs 12,356, semi-skilled workers wages at Rs 13,591, and skilled workers wages at Rs 15,224.
The officials in the Committee finalised these figures after consulting with the Employers’ associations and labour organisations, to ensure a balanced outcome for all stakeholders.
As reported by India Today, the Labour Minister of UP, Anil Rajbhar, hinted that the recent violence was a result of a planned conspiracy to disturb the law and order. Reportedly, the unrest was planned to disrupt a scheduled visit by the chief minister.
However, swift action has been taken after the violent protest took place. Police arrested around 350 people and registered seven FIRs. The authorities, with the help of CCTV recording, identified the suspects responsible for damaging property and disrupting traffic, and detained over 100 people.
Further, the government has established a committee to enable continuous dialogue between the workers and employers. It also urged people to remain calm while grievances are addressed.
Recently, on April 9, 2026, the Haryana Government announced a 35 per cent hike in the minimum wage for workers across all categories in the state. The wage was raised to Rs 15,220 per month for unskilled workers and to Rs 19,425.85 for highly skilled workers. This possibly became the trigger point for Noida workers to demand parity in payment.
Notably, the current wage hike is an interim decision. The government has clarified, and a more comprehensive review of the matter is scheduled for later. It may eventually result in the formation of a formal wage board to provide a permanent solution.
While the hike has been announced, the police and paramilitary forces remain deployed in the sensitive areas to ensure a full return to normalcy.
