Regularisation of 61,000 daily wagers gains pace

By Ovaise Gul
Comments 0
16 Apr 2026

No fixed timeline yet, but govt committed: EJAC after talks Next rounds of discussion after Darbar Move

Srinagar, Apr 15: The much-awaited regularisation process for daily wagers, casual labourers, consolidated workers, and other temporary employees has gained pace in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government holding two rounds of talks with the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) on Wednesday to address their demands and issues.

Addressing a press conference here, EJAC President Wajahat Hussain Durrani, accompanied by General Secretary Sajad Ahmad Parray and others, said the government had invited them for talks over issues pertaining to the regularisation of employees. He said two rounds of talks were held with Chief Minister's Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, during which multiple issues, especially regularisation, were discussed in detail.

"We met the Advisor to the Chief Minister today and held detailed discussions on the issues concerning nearly 61,000 daily wagers and temporary employees in the first round of talks. We have demanded their regularisation in the first instance," Durrani said, adding that they also raised concern over the delay in submission of a report by the committee formed for the purpose, which is pending despite six months having passed.

"We have sought phased regularisation of these employees," he said, adding that there are around 4,000 vacant posts in the PHE department, and the government should fill these through regularisation. "Similarly, vacant posts in other departments should also be filled through regularisation," EJAC demanded.

Durrani said a skilled worker should not be forced to undergo irrelevant training for unrelated work, and their existing expertise must be recognised. He also demanded that legal heirs of deceased employees be extended benefits, and those who have retired should also be considered.

"In several departments, daily wagers have not been paid for months. Until regularisation is completed, how are these workers expected to survive without wages?" Durrani told the government during the meeting, adding that such issues have been brought to the notice of the government. He conveyed that employees do not want to hit the streets but want a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

"We have been assured that another round of talks will be held after the Darbar Move offices shift to Srinagar," he informed, demanding that the wages of daily wagers must be ensured in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act.

The EJAC president said the CM's Advisor acknowledged that these employees have been pushed to the wall by successive regimes and assured that the committee's recommendations will be submitted at the earliest, followed by necessary action. "We were told that the Chief Minister is keen on regularising these employees," he added.

The employees' leader said that in the second round of talks, they raised the issue of the public sector. "After the Reorganisation Act 2019, we were promised a public sector policy within a year, but it has not been made public yet. We do not know what has happened to it. We are witnessing alarming delays in salaries across institutions, such as JKI employees who are unpaid for nine months, while workers in SICOP, Arts Emporium, and other sectors are also awaiting wages."

"In principle, it has been admitted during the meeting that consolidated workers, casual labourers, and daily wagers will be regularised at any cost, as promised by Omar Abdullah and his government. There is no fixed timeline yet, but we hope the next round of talks will provide a clear timeframe," Durrani said while replying to a media query.

The government had invited employees for a meeting soon after they staged a protest on February 16 this year, when they had planned a 'gherao' of Nawa-i-Subah.