An IIM graduate's social media post about a Delhi plumber allegedly earning ₹2-3 lakh per month has ignited a debate. The post detailed the plumber's income from various skilled trades, leading to discussions on the earning potential of blue-collar workers versus salaried professionals and the realities of freelance work.
An IIM graduate's post on X sparked a new conversation on skilled tradespeople's earning potential, with several users drawing comparisons between corporate professionals' and blue-collar workers' salaries. The discussion began when the user described a conversation with a plumber in Delhi, whose stated income raised concerns about whether certain skilled workers may be making as much as or perhaps more than many salaried workers.
The user had engaged the plumber to install a new tap and repair a shower fitting, according to the widely shared post. The plumber paid ₹700 for the repair, which was finished in about fifteen minutes. The plumber allegedly disclosed during their talk that he completes five to six identical projects every day, earning between ₹3,000 and ₹4,000 from plumbing services alone.
Additionally, the plumber stated that he supplemented his income with electrical work and seasonal maintenance and installation of air conditioners. According to him, he usually manages two or three AC-related projects per day during the summer, and each work normally pays between ₹1,000 and ₹3,000.
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Based on these numbers, the X user calculated that the plumber may be making between ₹7,000 and ₹10,000 a day, or about ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh a month. The user went on to say that occupations like plumbing, electrical work, and air conditioning maintenance are growing in value and are not as vulnerable to the dangers of artificial intelligence.
Many people debated whether the income figures were accurate after the post received a lot of attention. Several commenters disputed the figures, arguing that they overlooked the irregular nature of freelance trade work. According to one user, the numbers are "pure nonsense" because most plumbers can't save more than ₹20,000–₹35,000 a month. The commentator also contended that it is frequently impractical for craftsmen to finish several tasks at several places in a single day and that they do not always find employment.
Others directed the conversation toward taxes and the distinctions between self-employed and paid workers. Some professionals are frustrated because, according to one commentator, many experienced tradesmen are paid in cash, while white-collar workers have taxes taken out of their pay cheques.
