Chennai: A recent report by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revealed that Kerala's daily wages for workers in the unorganized sector are more than double the national average.

According to the Handbook of Statistics on Indian States for 2023-24, Kerala ranks at the top with the highest wages for agricultural workers in India, while other states, particularly in northern and central India, lag far behind.

As per the RBI report, the average daily wage for male agricultural labourers in Kerala is Rs 807.2, significantly higher than the national average of Rs 372.7. Jammu and Kashmir follows in second place with Rs 566.1, and Tamil Nadu ranks third with Rs 540.6. On the other hand, states like Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh are at the bottom of the wage scale, with Madhya Pradesh having the lowest daily wage at Rs 242.2.

In the rural construction sector, where daily wages are also significantly higher, Kerala again leads with an average daily wage of Rs 893.6, followed by Jammu and Kashmir (Rs 552.2) and Tamil Nadu (Rs 539.7). The national average for this sector stands at Rs 471.3. States like Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, and Gujarat are again at the bottom, with average wages of Rs 292.4, Rs 322.2, and Rs 344.4, respectively.

The disparity in wages highlights the growing migration of labourers from northern India to states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where wages are comparatively higher. According to the RBI, in 2014-15, Kerala's average daily wage for construction workers was Rs 787.9, underlining the state's consistent lead in wages over the past decade.