SRINAGAR: In a major initiative, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday announced that the PDP-BJP coalition government in the State would regularise 60,000 daily wagers and casual labourers working in various departments.
“Our government will be regularising 60,000 daily wagers and casual labourers working in various departments in J&K to provide sustainable livelihoods to those who need it the most,” Mehbooba tweeted today.
She said the hard work and dedication must always be recognised and appreciated.
Most of the 60,000 daily wagers and casual labourers, who are going to be regularised, have served their departments for over two decades.
The daily wager and casual labourers have staged numerous protest demonstrations and sit-ins in twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu to press for their regularisation.
On occasions, they had to brave the lathis and water cannons of the policemen during their protests and sit-ins.
During the budget session of J&K Assembly last year, State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu had informed the legislators that the State government would implement the 7th Pay Commission recommendations after a year, during which it would regularize all the daily wagers in the State.
The state government had formed a high powered committee-led by Chief Secretary B B Vyas to look into regulation of thousands of daily wagers and casual labourers working in various government departments.
The coalition government’s move to regularise 60,000 daily wagers and casual labourers is seen as a major pro-people initiative of the Mehbooba-led government after killing of 90 civilians and injuries to thousands others in security forces action during over five month long unrest in Valley last year following killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.
Meanwhile, Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), a body of government employees, has hailed the chief minister for the employee-friendly move.
EJAC president Qayoom Wani said the decision to regularise daily wagers is a big move for which employees forums have struggled very hard.