Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Daily Wagers Forum (JKDWF)— an amalgam of various daily and casual labourers associations, Saturday termed the decision of government about their regularization of services as ‘historic’ and said that the announcement has come as a big relief to 61000 families in the state.
“We are happy and our happiness knows no bounds. We welcome the announcement. It is a big relief to 61000 families who have been waiting for this historic decision from the past several years,” Sajad Ahmad Parray, President JKDWF said.
Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu on Tuesday announced that the government is issuing an SRO related to the regularization of daily wagers and casual laborers working in various departments in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the SRO will be issued within a week’s time.
The announcement came after, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti took to twitter and said that “Government will be regularizing 60,000daily wagers and casual labourers working in various departments in J&K to provide sustainable livelihoods to those who need it the most (sic)”. Daily wagers across the state are celebrating the announcement, especially those who have been serving in different government department from the past ten to twenty years.
“Successive government had promised us about regularization. We are thankful to present regime for taking this historical decision. It is not only 61000 youth are obliged but 61000 families who are thankful to government,” said Parray.
He said that he on behalf of all families he thanks Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and Chief Secretary BB Vyas for taking the matter on priority.
On October 23, this year, the state cabinet under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had accepted the report of the high level committee headed by the Chief Secretary laying out a roadmap for absorption/regularization of Casual/Seasonal Laborers/ Daily Rated Workers so as to ensure sustainable livelihood to thousands of persons and engagements which were made from time to time.
From past two decades, these daily and casual labourers had been staging protests to press for regularization of their services.
Notably, the Omar Abdullah-led government in 2014 had framed a policy for regularization of daily wagers. The report submitted by the then cabinet sub-committee constituted vide government order number 989 of 2014 dated September 4, 2014 was never placed before the cabinet for approval.
Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu on the floor of House in 2015 while terming the issue as social, had announced setting up of a high powered committee and some external experts to examine the issue and make recommendations.
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