Srinagar, Sep 30 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has registered the particulars of 1,00,501 casual and other workers engaged across different departments and institutions, while a committee constituted to examine their regularisation is yet to recommend a policy or timeline for a final decision.
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‎The figures were disclosed in a reply of the General Administration Department to a question by MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma in the Legislative Assembly regarding regularisation of daily wagers. The department said the workers’ particulars were registered through an Aadhaar-based biometric identification and skill-profiling exercise.
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‎The government said a committee was constituted through Government Order No. 384-JK(GAD) of 2025 dated March 29, 2025, to examine the issue of casual, seasonal and other temporary, contractual and need-based workers engaged across different departments.
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‎According to the government, the committee is examining the nature and duration of engagement, mode of appointment, eligibility of workers, availability of sanctioned posts, applicable recruitment rules, financial implications and the legal position governing regularisation.
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‎The department said the policy would also have to be examined in light of judicial pronouncements, statutory provisions, recruitment rules and financial considerations, with the government seeking a uniform and legally sustainable approach to the issue.
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‎The department-wise data shows that Public Works (R&B) has the largest number of registered workers at 38,585, followed by Planning, Monitoring and Development with 13,616, and Education with 12,646.
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‎Other departments with sizeable numbers include Rural Development with 5,662, Health and Medical Education with 4,868, Agriculture with 4,776, and Animal Husbandry, Sheep and Fisheries with 2,170.
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‎The data covers multiple categories of workers rather than only conventional daily wagers.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelOf the total, 69,696 are classified as casual labourers, 8,534 as seasonal labourers and 8,836 as daily-rated workers/work-charged employees. The list also includes part-time workers, CIC operators, drivers, hospital development-fund workers, part-time sweepers and others.
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‎At the district level, Jammu has the highest number of registered casual and other workers at 13,425, followed by Srinagar with 11,825, Anantnag with 8,823 and Baramulla with 7,774. Budgam has 5,772, Pulwama 5,651, Kupwara 5,547 and Rajouri 5,191.
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‎On the question of pending wages and other legitimate dues, the government said different departments have engaged daily-rated workers and other categories according to their operational requirements and programme guidelines. It said wages were being paid according to the applicable terms and, in the case of daily-rated and casual seasonal workers, as per the minimum wages notified by the government.
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‎The government further said funds had been released to all concerned departments for the current financial year to ensure timely disbursement of wages.
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‎However, on the long-pending demand for regularisation, the government did not provide a definite timeline.
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‎It said the issue was under active consideration and efforts were being made to complete the examination and consultations at the earliest, but “it would not be appropriate to indicate a rigid time-frame at this stage” because of the multiplicity of categories and the legal, administrative and financial implications involved.
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‎The government said any final policy decision would be taken after examination of all relevant aspects and receipt of inputs from the concerned departments and authorities, in accordance with the legal and constitutional framework and with regard to fairness, transparency and financial sustainability.(KNS)