New Delhi, May 1 -- The Punjab Assembly on Thursday approved a 15% increase in minimum wages, marking the first revision in the base rate since 2012. The resolution, passed during a special session on Labour Day, will apply to all registered workers in both government and private sectors.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the base minimum wage had remained unchanged for over a decade, even as dearness allowance (DA) was revised periodically. "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class was last revised in 2012, and although the Dearness Allowance has continued to rise since then, the base rate has not been increased," Mann said.

The revision is expected to raise earnings for registered workers across industries, th...