Mehbooba Mufti Decision on Daily Wagers Generates Positive Pulse

Rameez Makhdoomi
Srinagar, Dec 13: In an optimistic development for the casual labourers and daily wagers in the Jammu and Kashmir State, the government will regularize 60,000 daily wagers and casual labourers, stated Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday.
“Our govt will be regularizing 60,000 daily wagers & casual labourers working in various departments in J&K to provide sustainable livelihoods to those who need it the most,” tweeted Mufti.
Daily wagers have been facing multiple burning problems in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Most are paid a meagre sum of Rs 150 to Rs 200 a day.
Lack of concrete policy on daily wagers, no regularization policy, huge delay in payment of salaries has defined the plight of daily wagers. Daily Wager issue is a serious issue that has been surfacing as a very big issue for the state and lead to frequent protests and unpleasant situations the expert voices had also stated that it is high time that the recent path laid out by the State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and vision defined on Daily wage issue would be implemented in letter and spirit .
Latif Ahmad Kanth, a casual labourer stated – ”We welcome the decision of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti as she has tweeted that 60000 casual labourers and daily wagers would be regularized to provide us sustainable livelihood. This is a historic and positive decision and deserves all the appreciation. .We hope the revised payments made to us after regularization would be according to the needs of the present times.”
According to the estimates, there are at present 61000 daily wagers engaged in different government departments. Most of them have served the departments for many decades.
With the daily wager issue cause of street anger and rage since decades, this latest government decision to regularize them has for sure generated a positive pulse.
(KNB)