It is unfortunate that daily rated workers in Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed almost all shades of governments over the years, yet none has done justice to them. Every dispensation, under different political nomenclatures—including those under the Centre’s control, such as the LG administrations—has failed to address the aspirations of this section of people, who continue to reel under constant distress and uncertainty.
The incumbent government led by NC leader Omar Abdullah also appears to be following the same pattern as its predecessors—assuring early resolution but, in reality, showing no urgency in resolving the long-pending issue of regularization of these workers. Although the government has constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to examine the matter, the absence of any specific deadline raises serious concerns. It appears that the committee has been formed merely to buy time, with no substantial outcome likely in the foreseeable future.
In this context, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has informed the Legislative Assembly that a total of 1,00,501 casual, daily rated, and other workers have been registered across various departments through Aadhaar-based biometric identification and skill profiling. This information was placed before the House in a written reply during the ongoing session in response to multiple starred questions regarding the regularization of workers engaged for over two decades.
Reportedly, the registered workers include 69,696 casual labourers, 8,534 seasonal labourers, 8,836 daily rated/work-charged employees, 3,092 part-time workers, 156 CIC operators, 5,757 NYC hamals/drivers of the FCS&CA Department, 1,929 persons engaged under the Hospital Development Fund, 2,153 part-time sweepers, and 348 settlement assistants of the Revenue Department. Region-wise data shows that 57,390 workers belong to the Kashmir division, while 40,077 are from the Jammu division.
The committee constituted to examine the issue has been mandated to assess various categories of workers, service rules, financial implications, and legal ramifications before recommending a comprehensive roadmap. The government has taken refuge in the argument that the matter involves legal, administrative, and financial considerations, including compliance with constitutional provisions and judicial pronouncements governing public employment, and that appropriate action will be taken after the committee submits its recommendations.
While it is acknowledged that the committee faces several bottlenecks, what is urgently required is the setting of a clear deadline to rekindle hope among the affected daily rated workers that there will indeed be a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Given the government’s dilly-dallying approach, the tunnel appears endless, as no one knows when the committee will present its findings and recommendations. This uncertainty is neither fair nor acceptable.
