Employees of a company protest demanding a salary increment, in Noida on April 14, 2026. Photo: ANI/SumitAfter widespread workers’ protests in Haryana earlier this month forced the state government’s hand into hiking the minimum wage in the state, labour unions are calling for a further increase in wages, arguing that it is considerably lower than remuneration that was agreed upon by a panel comprising of representatives from labour unions, and the industry last year — and does not account for adequate nutritional requirements needed by working adults in India.The figure is Rs 23,196 per month. Here’s what to know about the deliberations and the calculation behind the revised amount.Demand for minimum wageJai Bhagwan, general secretary of the Haryana chapter of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), a key labour union behind the strikes, told The Indian Express that a minimum wage of Rs 23,196 was unanimously recommended by the State Minimum Wage Committee on December 29, 2025. He said that the committee had sent its recommendation to the state government.However, its request was not accepted when Haryana announced revised minimum wage rates earlier this month, following widespread protests in the state, particularly in the automobile manufacturing hub of Manesar. More than 50 protesting workers, including women, were arrested by the police.On April 9, Haryana revised its minimum wage, with the last revision having taken place in October 2015. The basic monthly minimum wage for unskilled workers has now been increased to Rs 15,220.71, and the monthly wage for highly skilled workers to Rs 19,42.85. The per-day wage, which would apply for contractual workers, would come in at Rs 582.4 for unskilled workers and Rs 747.14 for highly-skilled workers.Also read | Workers encouraged by Haryana’s revision of minimum wage, social media — what triggered protests in NoidaBhagwan said the hike is far from what workers wanted.On top of the already low minimum wage workers in the state were receiving, rising costs due to the ongoing war in West Asia — which have also led to a shortage in gas cylinders for several workers — have been an additional burden. Bhagwan said several workers were having to purchase cylinders in the black market at inflated costs, and prices of other everyday items, such as food prices at their usual eating spots, have also gone up. Story continues below this adHow it was calculatedThe committee’s calculations through which it arrived at the Rs 23,196 figure, included tracking prices of key nutrients and clothing over the period of a month, along with expenses towards rent, electricity and their children’s education, and medical expenses, among other things. Following is a breakdown:Sr. NoItemsPer dayUnitPer monthUnitPrice/ Unit (₹) Expense (₹)1Cereals396.89gram35.72kg32.731169.122Pulses (including spices)85.05gram7.65kg181.691389.933Vegetables283.5gram25.51kg78.071991.574Milk295.74ml26.62ltrs.68.371820.015Sugar and Gur56.7gram5.1kg54.24276.626Oil and Ghee59.15ml5.32ltrs.212.111128.437Fruits56.7gram5.1kg166.88851.098Fish and Meat85.05gram7.65kg399.193053.89Eggs1no.90no.7.53661.510Clothing––5.5mts351.421932.81Total (1+10) [Food and Clothing]14274.8811Housing (Rent is 10% of food and clothing expenditure)1427.4912Fuel, electricity, and other misc. expenses (20% of food and clothing expenditure)2854.9813Children’s education, medical needs, recreation, contingencies (25% of total minimum wage)4639.34Total23196.68 The above prices are an average of all data collected from Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Hissar, Panipat, Rewari and Sonipat between April 24 and March 25, 2025.Soumyarendra Barik is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express, specializing in the complex and evolving intersection of technology, policy, and society. With over five years of newsroom experience, he is a key voice in documenting how digital transformations impact the daily lives of Indian citizens. Expertise & Focus Areas Barik’s reporting delves into the regulatory and human aspects of the tech world. His core areas of focus include: The Gig Economy: He extensively covers the rights and working conditions of gig workers in India. Tech Policy & Regulation: Analysis of policy interventions that impact Big Tech companies and the broader digital ecosystem. Digital Rights: Reporting on data privacy, internet freedom, and India's prevalent digital divide. Authoritativeness & On-Ground Reporting: Barik is known for his immersive and data-driven approach to journalism. A notable example of his commitment to authentic storytelling involves him tailing a food delivery worker for over 12 hours. This investigative piece quantified the meager earnings and physical toll involved in the profession, providing a verified, ground-level perspective often missing in tech reporting. Personal Interests Outside of the newsroom, Soumyarendra is a self-confessed nerd about horology (watches), follows Formula 1 racing closely, and is an avid football fan. Find all stories by Soumyarendra Barik here. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Express Explained