Why in news?

Thousands of factory workers in Noida protested—turning violent—over demands for minimum wage hikes, better working conditions, and overtime pay, amid rising living costs.

The immediate trigger was a 35% minimum wage hike in Haryana following protests in Manesar. Workers in neighbouring regions demanded similar wage revisions, sparking unrest in Noida.

The protests reflect growing distress due to rising living expenses, especially amid the West Asia war-induced inflation. Workers argue that wages have not kept pace with increasing costs of living.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Delay in Minimum Wage Revisions
• Rising Cost of Living and Worker Distress
• Labour Codes and Worker Expectations
• Uncertainty in Implementation of Labour Codes
• Concerns Raised by Experts and Workers

Delay in Minimum Wage Revisions

• Minimum wage has two components:
  • Base wage – Revision supposed to take place every five years
  • Cost of living allowance [Consumer Price Index-Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) linked] - This variable component is supposed to be revised twice a year.
• However, base wage revisions have been delayed significantly:
  • Haryana revised after 10 years
  • Uttar Pradesh last revised in 2012, now offering only interim hikes
• While most states carried out half-yearly revisions, they have missed out on the base minimum wage revisions, especially in the years after Covid-19.
• The protests highlight a widening gap between inflation-driven expenses and delayed wage revisions, underscoring structural issues in India’s wage policy and labour welfare system.

Rising Cost of Living and Worker Distress

• According to CPI-IW data (base year 2016), inflation for industrial workers rose by 24.8% nationally between February 2021 and February 2026.
  • In key industrial regions, inflation was even higher—27.9% in Gurugram, 27.2% in Faridabad, and 27.4% in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Delhi.
• However, minimum wage growth has not kept pace with rising prices: Haryana (rose only 15%); Uttar Pradesh (rose 24.6%); Delhi (rose only 20.6%).
• This mismatch shows that real incomes of workers have declined, especially in Delhi-NCR.
• Rising input costs due to US tariffs and disruptions like the Strait of Hormuz crisis have strained industries. This has led to delayed wage payments and job insecurity for workers.
• Rising Household Expenses for Workers
  • Workers, many of whom are migrants, face increasing living costs:
    • LPG cylinders in black markets costing up to ₹4,000
    • Rising room rents and food prices
  • These pressures have significantly worsened their financial burden.
  • The widening gap between inflation and wage growth, combined with industrial and global disruptions, has intensified economic stress for workers, fuelling protests and labour unrest.

Labour Codes and Worker Expectations

• A key concern among protesting workers in Noida and Manesar was the expectation of higher wages following the notification of the four Labour Codes in November 2025.
• However, no such uniform wage increase materialised.
• Claims of a ₹20,000 minimum wage were clarified by the Uttar Pradesh government as misleading, since such rates applied only to central sphere establishments, not all factories.
• The confusion stemmed from a 2024 Union government release indicating ₹783 per day (₹20,358 per month) for unskilled workers in certain sectors.
• Workers interpreted this as a universal minimum wage, while in reality, state-level rules determine wages for most establishments.

Uncertainty in Implementation of Labour Codes

• The four labour codes—Code on Wages, Code on Social Security, Industrial Relations Code, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code—came into effect in November 2025.
• However, final rules are yet to be notified by the Centre and most states. Draft rules were issued in December 2025, creating uncertainty.
• Working Hours and Flexibility Debate
  • The new codes define 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, aligned with international norms.
  • However, daily work hours, rest intervals, and spread-over limits are yet to be formally specified.
  • This flexibility allows employers to introduce models like 12-hour shifts with extended weekly breaks, but has led to confusion and potential overwork.
• Shift from Earlier Legal Framework
  • Under the Factories Act, 1948, daily working hours were capped at 9 hours, and spread-over hours at 10.5 (extendable to 12).
  • The new codes shift regulatory power from Parliament to the executive, allowing states to decide details through rules.

Concerns Raised by Experts and Workers

• Risk of Exploitation - Experts argue that flexibility without clear safeguards is being misused by employers, leading to longer working hours in some sectors.
• Lack of Uniformity Across States - Since states will notify their own rules: There may be regional disparities in wages and working conditions; Implementation may vary widely, creating confusion for workers and employers alike.
• Weakening of Collective Bargaining - The new codes leave trade union recognition and collective bargaining largely to states, raising concerns about lack of a credible and uniform process for labour reforms.
• While the Labour Codes aim to simplify regulations and standardise labour practices, delayed implementation, lack of clarity, and excessive flexibility have created confusion, unmet expectations, and concerns about worker protection.

Context

• The phenomenon of extreme heat in India has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a seasonal inconvenience into a widespread national crisis.
• Once largely confined to the arid northwestern and central regions, heatwaves now affect coastal and temperate zones, with over 57% of districts classified as heat-prone.
• Despite its broad geographic spread, the impact of extreme heat is unevenly distributed, revealing deep-rooted inequalities based on class, caste, and gender.
• For millions of informal workers, heat is not merely discomfort, it is a fundamental threat to life and livelihood.

Changing Geography of Heatwaves

• India’s heatwave patterns have expanded beyond their traditional boundaries.
• Regions previously considered relatively immune, such as coastal and temperate areas, are now increasingly vulnerable.
• This shift reflects broader climatic changes, making extreme heat a persistent and pervasive issue rather than a seasonal anomaly.
• The result is a nationwide thermal canopy that affects all regions, albeit with unequal consequences.

Socio-Economic Dimensions of Thermal Inequality

• While extreme heat affects everyone, its burden is disproportionately borne by the poor.
• Affluent populations can mitigate heat exposure through private cooling systems, but nearly 400–490 million informal workers lack such cooling autonomy.
• For them, survival depends on continued outdoor labour under hazardous conditions.
• Even slight increases in temperature significantly reduce productivity, leading to income loss.
• Consequently, workers are forced into a difficult choice between protecting their health and securing their livelihoods.

Frontline Realities: Evidence of Harm

• Ground-level evidence reveals the harsh realities faced by vulnerable workers.
• Sanitation workers and waste pickers operate in environments where heat is intensified by toxic emissions from unsegregated waste, creating dangerous micro-climates.
• Reports of burns from handling heated waste without protective gear highlight the severity of these conditions.
• This situation reflects a climate-caste nexus, where marginalised communities engaged in stigmatised occupations face the highest exposure to environmental hazards.

Sector-Wise Vulnerabilities

• Gig Workers: Delivery personnel face algorithmic pressures that discourage rest, even during extreme heat alerts.
• Construction Workers: High physical exertion combined with heat from materials like steel and concrete increases health risks.
• Street Vendors: They suffer both physically and economically, as heat reduces customer activity and spoils perishable goods.

Legal and Institutional Gaps

• India’s current legal framework is inadequate to address the challenges posed by extreme heat.
• The Factories Act of 1948 provides protections only for indoor workers, leaving outdoor labourers unprotected.
• Similarly, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code of 2020 lacks mandatory provisions for heat safety, relying instead on discretionary measures.
• Additionally, the exclusion of heatwaves from the Nationally Notified Disaster list limits states’ financial capacity to respond effectively.
• This creates a fiscal vacuum, restricting the allocation of resources for relief and adaptation.

Towards Addressing Thermal Injustice

• Recognition as a National Disaster: Including heatwaves in the National Disaster list would unlock funding and enable stronger administrative action.
• Adoption of the Heat Index: Using a combined measure of temperature and humidity would provide a more accurate assessment of risk.
• Strengthening Labor Protections: Mandatory work-rest cycles and provision of protective equipment should be enforced under existing labour laws.
• Right to Cool: Recognising access to cooling as a fundamental right would ensure the establishment of public cooling shelters and water facilities.
• Protection for Gig Workers: Legal safeguards must prevent platforms from penalising workers during extreme heat conditions.
• Income Compensation Mechanisms: Financial support systems, including innovative insurance models, should be implemented to offset income loss.

Conclusion

• Extreme heat in India is no longer just an environmental issue; it is a reflection of systemic social and economic inequalities.
• The concept of thermal injustice highlights how vulnerable populations bear the brunt of climate impacts while lacking the means to adapt.
• Addressing this crisis requires a shift from fragmented, advisory-based responses to a comprehensive framework grounded in rights, equity, and accountability.
• Ensuring thermal safety must become an integral part of the social contract, reinforcing the constitutional promise of justice and dignity for all.

Context:

• The International Day of Zero Waste, observed on March 30, highlights the urgent issue of food waste.
• This year’s focus underscores the stark contradiction of massive food wastage alongside widespread hunger and malnutrition.
• In India, such waste also reflects the loss of farmers’ and workers’ hard-earned produce and effort.
• This article highlights the scale and implications of food waste in India and globally, examining its economic, environmental, and ethical dimensions while outlining systemic challenges and actionable pathways to reduce food loss.

Global Food Waste Crisis: A Moral and Systemic Failure

• According to the United Nations Environment Programme Food Waste Index Report 2024, the world wastes 1.05 billion tonnes of food annually, with households contributing 60%, food services 28%, and retail 12%.
• This massive wastage reflects systemic inefficiencies in supply chains, policy gaps, and consumption patterns, even as 783 million people face hunger and over 3.1 billion cannot afford a healthy diet.

India’s Paradox: Waste Amid Hunger

• India ranks second globally in food waste, losing 78–80 million tonnes annually worth ₹1.55 lakh crore, behind China (108 million tonnes).
• Despite lower per capita waste (55 kg annually compared to 73 kg in the U.S. and 75 kg in Germany), India ranks 111th in the Global Hunger Index, with about 194 million people undernourished.
• This highlights a stark contradiction between food surplus and widespread hunger.
• Punjab Case Study: Production Without Efficiency
  • Punjab produces surplus food but suffers heavy losses due to extreme weather and poor infrastructure.
    • Around 20% of fruits and vegetables are lost post-harvest.
    • Over 8,200 tonnes of foodgrains were damaged in FCI storage (2019–2024) — the highest in India.
    • Key issues include inadequate storage, weak cold-chain systems, lack of mechanisation, and poor packaging and grading, as highlighted by NITI Aayog.

Environmental Consequences

• Food waste contributes 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• If it were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter after China and the U.S.
• Decomposing food releases methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, wasted food implies loss of critical resources—water, land, energy, and labour.
• For instance, producing 1 kg of rice requires ~5,000 litres of water, intensifying concerns like groundwater depletion in Punjab.

Structural Causes of Food Loss

• Food waste is driven by:
  • Post-harvest inefficiencies at the farm level
  • Inadequate storage and cold-chain infrastructure
  • Fragmented logistics and supply chains
  • Cultural normalisation of waste in consumption patterns

Pathways to Reduce Food Waste

• Strengthen Cold-Chain Infrastructure - India processes only 8% of its produce, compared to 65% in the U.S. A national cold-chain mission, especially in key agricultural states, is essential for reducing losses.
• Legal Framework for Food Redistribution - Inspired by European models, India should enact laws to prevent destruction of surplus food and promote donation through tax incentives and food banks.
• Empower Farmers at the Source - Post-harvest losses begin at the farm gate. Solutions include:
  • Mechanised drying and storage systems
  • Hermetic storage bags and mobile cold units
  • Reforming laws like the Jute Packaging Materials Act to allow modern storage solutions
• Improve Data and Accountability - India lacks a national database on food waste. Mandatory measurement and public reporting for businesses, caterers, and institutions can improve accountability and efficiency.
• Cultural and Behavioural Change - Reviving the traditional ethos of “Anna (food) as sacred” can drive responsible consumption. Awareness must translate into collective civic responsibility through education and community initiatives.

Conclusion: From Awareness to Action

• Food waste is not just inefficiency—it is a moral, economic, and environmental crisis.
• Addressing it requires systemic reforms, infrastructure investment, policy intervention, and a cultural shift towards valuing food as a precious resource.