The government’s intent to strengthen the minimum wage policies through the “Codes on Wages”, 2019 is noteworthy, but it fails to uplift the lives of the workforce as desired. Through the analysis of various wage policies of India, we can point out two major drawbacks in our present policies. One, lack of coordination among State and Central Government and two, lack of rigour on enforcement. Resolving these issues is imperative for the workforce to reap the benefits of India’s growing economy. For efficient enforcement, structural reforms in each sector are necessary as it will help employers to adapt to the changes in minimum wage policies.
This Research Brief explains and analyses India’s wage policies and discusses the scope for a national minimum wage in the light of the Code on Wages, 2019.