Punjab's Wage Hike Proposal and Water Distribution Revamp

The Punjab government is considering a proposal to increase minimum wages, with adjustments to wages based on the Consumer Price Index set to happen biannually. Meanwhile, canal water distribution improvements are underway, aiming to address inequalities in water supply across the state, ensuring tail-end areas receive adequate water.

The Punjab government is actively considering a proposal to raise the minimum wage, Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond announced on Friday at the opening day of the Budget Session in the Punjab Assembly.

The issue of minimum wages was raised by MLA Kulwant Singh, to which Sond confirmed that an increase is being considered due to ongoing inflationary pressures. He detailed that wage adjustments occur biannually, on March 1 and September 1, synchronized with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The next scheduled revision on March 1, 2025, aims to set 2025 as a new base year.

In parallel, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal outlined efforts to enhance canal water distribution. He announced a 50 percent increase in water allowance for several districts to three cusecs per thousand acres, addressing disparities in water access and managing excessive groundwater extraction.

(With inputs from agencies.)