{"id":"in-punjab","country":"in","kind":"state","name":{"en":"Punjab","local":"ਪੰਜਾਬ"},"languages":["pa","hi","en"],"currency":"INR","symbol":"₹","fxPerUsd":94,"cities":{"T1":"Ludhiana","T2":"Patiala","T3":"Mansa"},"basket":{"teaCup":15,"simpleMeal":100,"haircutMen":120,"milkLitre":65,"breadLoaf":50,"unskilledDayWage":600,"minWageMonthly":13486,"shopRentSqftMonth":{"T1":120,"T2":60,"T3":25},"electricityCommercialKwh":6.6,"lpgCommercialCylinder":2918.5,"petrolLitre":105.56},"tax":{"salesTax":"GST 5/18% (national)","smallBizThreshold":"₹40 lakh goods / ₹20 lakh services","localLevies":"Punjab State Development Tax ₹200/month (₹2,400/yr) if taxable income > ~₹2.5 lakh"},"licences":[{"name":"Notice of business under Punjab S&E Act 1958, Sec 13-A (shops with <20 workers)","fee":"nil; within six months","authority":"Labour Department","source":"https://khaitanco.com/thought-leadership/Punjab-brings-key-amendments-to-Shops-and-Establishments-Law"},{"name":"PSDT enrolment","fee":"₹200/month","authority":"Excise & Taxation Department","source":"https://calcguru.in/?p=556"},{"name":"Municipal trade licence / tehbazari (vendors)","fee":"roughly ₹100–1,000/month for stalls (Est.)","authority":"Municipal corporation","source":"Est.: municipal bye-laws vary"}],"festivals":[{"name":"Karva Chauth","dates2026_27":"29 Oct 2026","effect":"salon/mehendi and sweets spike 3–5× for women's services; evening eateries busy after moonrise"},{"name":"Diwali (Dhanteras 6 Nov, Lakshmi Puja 8 Nov, Bhai Dooj 11 Nov)","dates2026_27":"6–11 Nov 2026","effect":"sweets, gifts, clothing, salon and kirana demand 1.5–3× in the run-up; most small shops shut or half-day on Diwali itself"},{"name":"Gurpurab (Guru Nanak Jayanti)","dates2026_27":"about 24 Nov 2026","effect":"langar, sweets and flowers up; markets close for processions"},{"name":"Lohri","dates2026_27":"13 Jan 2027","effect":"rewri, gajak, peanuts 3–5×"},{"name":"Hola Mohalla","dates2026_27":"about 23–25 Mar 2027","effect":"pilgrim surge at Anandpur Sahib"},{"name":"Baisakhi","dates2026_27":"14 Apr 2027","effect":"harvest fairs; rural spending peak"}],"seasons":[{"months":"Oct–Nov","what":"Paddy harvest cash plus stubble smoke"},{"months":"Dec–Jan","what":"Dense fog, cold; hot food and chai up"},{"months":"Jul–Sep","what":"Monsoon floods in riverine districts (2025 precedent)"}],"payments":{"digitalShare":"cities 60–70%, towns 40–55% (Est.)","credit":"udhaar settled at harvest; arhtiya (commission agent) credit shapes rural spending"},"notes":"Punjab's small-business layer differs in four ways: commercial power got cheaper in April 2026 (₹6.10–7.10/unit) ahead of the 2027 election; the S&E Act stopped applying to shops with under 20 workers in Aug 2025; traders pay a unique ₹200/month State Development Tax; and the calendar is Sikh/agrarian (Gurpurab, Lohri, Hola Mohalla, Baisakhi, paddy and wheat procurement). Labour leans on migrants from UP/Bihar. Gurmukhi-first signboards are required. Floods (2025), farmer bandhs and extortion calls are the place-specific risks.","factors":[{"id":"P01","cat":"Wages","name":"Minimum wage, unskilled (all Punjab)","value":"₹13,486/month; semi-skilled ₹14,383, skilled ₹15,414, highly skilled ₹16,601 (from 1 May 2026)","role":"HV","source":"https://employsome.com/hire/india/minimum-wage-india/","estimate":false},{"id":"P02","cat":"Wages","name":"Typical shop helper pay","value":"Ludhiana ₹12,000–15,000; Patiala ₹10,000–13,000; small towns ₹8,000–11,000; many helpers are migrants from UP/Bihar","role":"HV","source":"Est.: national presets plus Punjab's reliance on migrant labour","estimate":true},{"id":"P03","cat":"Wages","name":"Casual daily labour rate (T2)","value":"₹600/day","role":"HV","source":"Est.: RBI Handbook rural non-farm wages for Punjab ~₹500+/day (2023–24) plus drift; legal floor ₹519/day","estimate":true},{"id":"P04","cat":"Rent","name":"Shop rent by tier","value":"T1 Ludhiana ₹120; T2 Patiala ₹60; T3 Mansa ₹25 per sq ft/month","role":"HV","source":"Est.: no 2026 Punjab retail rent report found; scaled from NCR prints (https://www.outlookbusiness.com/news/retail-space-rent-in-delhis-khan-market-rises-9-annually-in-apr-jun-cw) with national tier ratios","estimate":true},{"id":"P05","cat":"Energy","name":"Commercial electricity (PSERC 2026–27)","value":"7–20 kW: ₹6.10/unit up to 500 units, ₹7.10 above; commercial tariffs cut by 65–79 paise from 1 Apr 2026","role":"HV","source":"https://www.etvbharat.com/en/state/power-tariff-for-domestic-commercial-consumers-in-punjab-slashed-enn26030606114","estimate":false},{"id":"P06","cat":"Energy","name":"Political context of the cut","value":"Cut announced a year before the 2027 Assembly polls","role":"HV","source":"https://thefederal.com/category/states/north/punjab/punjab-slashes-electricity-prices-2027-assembly-elections-233072","estimate":false},{"id":"P07","cat":"Energy","name":"Effective small-shop rate used","value":"about ₹6.6/kWh plus fixed charges","role":"HV","source":"Est.: midpoint of cited ₹6.10–7.10 slabs; fixed charges and electricity duty add roughly 5–10%","estimate":true},{"id":"P08","cat":"Energy","name":"Commercial LPG 19 kg (Punjab)","value":"₹2,918.50 (25 Oct 2026); domestic ₹983","role":"HV","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/lpg-price.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P09","cat":"Energy","name":"Petrol (Punjab)","value":"₹105.56/litre (25 Oct 2026)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/petrol-price.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P10","cat":"Prices","name":"Packet milk (Verka)","value":"+₹2/L from 14 May: standard 1 L ₹63 → ₹65, full cream ₹69 → ₹71 (year not printed; timing matches the May 2026 national round)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/verka-increases-milk-price-by-rs-2-per-litre/","estimate":false},{"id":"P11","cat":"Prices","name":"Cup of tea, T2 (Patiala)","value":"₹15","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Punjab chai is milk-heavy and served larger; ₹10–20 range","estimate":true},{"id":"P12","cat":"Prices","name":"Simple meal (dhaba thali), T2","value":"₹100","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Punjabi dhaba thali with unlimited roti ₹80–130","estimate":true},{"id":"P13","cat":"Prices","name":"Men's haircut, T2","value":"₹120","role":"HV","source":"Est.: town salons ₹100–150 (many Sikh customers use beard/trim services instead of haircuts)","estimate":true},{"id":"P14","cat":"Prices","name":"Bread loaf 400 g","value":"₹50","role":"HV","source":"Est.: branded loaf ₹45–55","estimate":true},{"id":"P15","cat":"Licences","name":"Punjab S&E Act no longer applies to shops with <20 workers","value":"Amendment Act gazetted 29 Aug 2025; small shops file a notice of business (Sec 13-A) within six months; 20+ establishments get deemed registration if not processed in 24 h","role":"PD","source":"https://khaitanco.com/thought-leadership/Punjab-brings-key-amendments-to-Shops-and-Establishments-Law","estimate":false},{"id":"P16","cat":"Licences","name":"2025 amendment detail (hours, overtime)","value":"Longer daily hours and overtime limits relaxed (overtime cap reported as 144 h/quarter)","role":"HV","source":"https://knowledge.dlapiper.com/dlapiperknowledge/globalemploymentlatestdevelopments/2025/Punjab-eases-its-shops-and-establishments-rules-Key-amendments-for-2025","estimate":false},{"id":"P17","cat":"Licences","name":"Municipal trade licence / tehbazari for vendors","value":"Municipal corporations (Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar) charge trade licence and tehbazari (vending fee) of roughly ₹100–1,000/month for stalls","role":"PD","source":"Est.: Punjab Municipal Corporation Act bye-laws; amounts vary and were not verified","estimate":true},{"id":"P18","cat":"Tax","name":"Punjab State Development Tax (PSDT)","value":"₹200/month (₹2,400/yr) for traders/professionals with taxable income above about ₹2.5 lakh; registration within 30 days of liability","role":"HV","source":"https://calcguru.in/?p=556","estimate":false},{"id":"P19","cat":"Tax","name":"PSDT amendment 2025","value":"Lump-sum annual option and settlement of arrears added","role":"HV","source":"https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/development-tax-bill-passed-unanimously","estimate":false},{"id":"P20","cat":"Tax","name":"GST thresholds","value":"National: goods ₹40 lakh, services ₹20 lakh","role":"PD","source":"https://accountune.com/how-to-start-a-kirana-store-in-india","estimate":false},{"id":"P21","cat":"Rules","name":"Tobacco and meat near the Golden Temple","value":"Sale of tobacco, liquor and meat banned in Amritsar's walled-city 'holy' zone; tobacco discouraged across Sikh-majority areas","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Punjab govt holy-city notifications for Amritsar, Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib (2016–17)","estimate":true},{"id":"P22","cat":"Rules","name":"Liquor vends and dry days","value":"Private vends via e-tender; dry days on Gurpurabs and elections","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Punjab excise policy 2026–27; dry-day list not re-verified","estimate":true},{"id":"P23","cat":"Festivals","name":"Gurpurab (Guru Nanak Jayanti)","value":"about 24 Nov 2026 (Kartik Purnima): langar, sweets, flowers; shops close for nagar kirtan","role":"HV","source":"https://www.drikpanchang.com/festivals/diwali/diwali-date-time.html?year=2026","estimate":false},{"id":"P24","cat":"Festivals","name":"Lohri","value":"13 Jan 2027: rewri, gajak, peanuts, popcorn sell 3–5×; gifting to newborn/newly-wed families","role":"HV","source":"Est.: solar-calendar festival, fixed 13 Jan","estimate":true},{"id":"P25","cat":"Festivals","name":"Baisakhi","value":"14 Apr 2027: harvest festival; fairs and clothing/sweets demand; rural cash peak","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Mesha Sankranti 14 Apr 2027 (https://patnapress.com/haridwar-kumbh-2027-bathing-dates-announced/)","estimate":true},{"id":"P26","cat":"Festivals","name":"Hola Mohalla, Anandpur Sahib","value":"about 23–25 Mar 2027: lakhs of pilgrims; food stalls and langar","role":"HV","source":"Est.: day after Holi (Holi ~22 Mar 2027)","estimate":true},{"id":"P27","cat":"Seasons","name":"Paddy harvest and stubble season","value":"Oct–Nov: procurement cash plus smoke; rural shops busy, outdoor eating hit by smog","role":"HV","source":"Est.: state procurement calendar","estimate":true},{"id":"P28","cat":"Seasons","name":"Winter fog","value":"Dec–Jan dense fog; highway trade and early-morning sales disrupted","role":"HV","source":"Est.: IMD fog climatology for the Punjab plains","estimate":true},{"id":"P29","cat":"Payments","name":"UPI national share","value":"86.8% of retail volume","role":"HV","source":"https://www.outlookbusiness.com/amp/story/news/upi-emerges-as-dominant-retail-payment-system-with-transaction-volume-share-at-87-careedge","estimate":false},{"id":"P30","cat":"Payments","name":"Digital share","value":"Ludhiana/Amritsar 60–70%; towns 40–55%; NRI remittances support cash spending in Doaba","role":"HV","source":"Est.: national tier bands; Doaba remittance economy","estimate":true},{"id":"P31","cat":"Economy","name":"Per-capita GSDP","value":"₹2,79,398 (2025–26), slightly above India's ₹2,51,393","role":"HV","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_states_and_union_territories_by_GDP_per_capita","estimate":false},{"id":"P32","cat":"Economy","name":"Urbanisation","value":"37.5% urban (Census 2011)","role":"HV","source":"https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/data/census-tables","estimate":false},{"id":"P33","cat":"Language","name":"Languages","value":"Punjabi (Gurmukhi) is the sole official language and signboards must show Gurmukhi first; Hindi widely spoken","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Punjab Official Language Act 1967; 2025 rules on Punjabi-first signboards (enforcement varies)","estimate":true},{"id":"P34","cat":"Risks","name":"Floods","value":"Aug–Sep 2025 floods (worst in decades) submerged ~1,900 villages; riverine districts (Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Kapurthala) at risk each monsoon","role":"RE","source":"Est.: 2025 Punjab floods; annual probability for a given riverine district ~10–15%","estimate":true},{"id":"P35","cat":"Risks","name":"'Punjab bandh' / farmer protest blockades","value":"Rail and road blockades for 1–3 days; months-long border sit-ins in 2024","role":"RE","source":"Est.: recurring farmer-union bandh calls","estimate":true},{"id":"P36","cat":"Risks","name":"Drug-related crime and extortion calls to traders","value":"Gangster extortion calls to shop owners reported in Malwa/Doaba","role":"RE","source":"Est.: news reports 2023–25; low but material probability for prosperous shops","estimate":true}]}