Shabir Ahmad
Jammu and Kashmir’s temporary employees, numbering over 61,000, have been struggling for job security and fair wages for years. Daily wagers, casual laborers, Anganwadi workers, hospital staff, education department cooks, seasonal laborers, and forest department workers continue to face economic hardships due to irregular and inadequate salaries. While the demand for their permanent employment remains unresolved, the government has yet to implement the Minimum Wages Act, which could provide them with immediate relief.
A critical question now stands before the government: Should these employees be regularized immediately, or should they wait until statehood is restored?
Statehood and Regularization: A Dilemma for the Government
The issue of regularizing over 61,000 temporary employees has been on the government’s table for a long time. However, the lack of full statehood in Jammu and Kashmir has complicated the matter. While the administration could choose to provide these employees with permanent jobs, the process is delayed due to legal and administrative hurdles.
In the absence of statehood, a practical interim solution would be to bring these workers under the Minimum Wages Act to ensure they receive at least a fair and sustainable income. Waiting for full-fledged statehood without providing financial relief is unjust, as many workers are currently surviving on extremely low wages that are insufficient to meet basic needs.
The Urgency of Implementing the Minimum Wages Act
If immediate regularization is not possible, the government must implement the Minimum Wages Act as a temporary measure. The current wage structure for many temporary employees is shockingly low:
Hospital drivers receive only ₹3,000 per month.
Sweepers in hospitals earn just ₹1,260 per month.
Forest department workers (CAMPA, Wildlife, Consolidated staff) are paid ₹5,000 or less, often with irregular payments.
Anganwadi workers, helpers, education department cooks, and several other categories of workers are also underpaid.
Seasonal laborers (Irrigation, Sericulture, and other departments) work for three to five months per year without financial stability.
These figures expose a severe economic crisis that these employees are enduring. If the government cannot provide them with permanent employment immediately, it must at least ensure they are paid living wages.
The Role of Leadership: A Negotiation Strategy
To resolve this crisis, genuine leaders of the temporary employees, including Sajjad Ahmad Paray, Ravi Hans, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, and Sarir Ahmad Peer, must take decisive action. A high-level meeting with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary should be organized, where they can negotiate the following key points:
1. The workers will wait for statehood to be restored, provided the government enforces the Minimum Wages Act immediately.
2. All temporary employees earning below ₹9,300 should be brought under a uniform wage structure.
3. Seasonal laborers in departments like irrigation and sericulture should be given continuous employment rather than short-term contracts.
4. The government must provide a written agreement that ensures the immediate regularization of all 61,000 temporary employees once statehood is restored.
If the government agrees to these terms, a major breakthrough can be achieved without large-scale protests. However, if the government fails to act promptly, the leadership must prepare for a massive protest movement.
A Call for Protests: A Last Resort?
If the government does not take immediate steps to address these three fundamental demands, then a large-scale protest should be the next course of action. The employees and their leadership must stand united and mobilize public support to pressurize the administration.
The leadership should announce a deadline for government action. If the government fails to implement the Minimum Wages Act and commit to future regularization, then a massive strike and demonstrations should be launched across Jammu and Kashmir.
Conclusion
The struggle of temporary employees in Jammu and Kashmir is not just about job security but also about basic human rights and financial dignity. The government must urgently implement the Minimum Wages Act to ensure that thousands of workers are no longer subjected to extreme financial distress.
A peaceful and negotiated solution is in the best interest of both the government and the employees. By addressing these demands in a structured manner, the administration can prevent unrest and build trust among the workforce.
If these demands remain ignored, a strong protest movement will become inevitable, and the responsibility for the resulting disruption will rest solely on the government’s failure to act.
Note: Shabir Ahmad is the Chairman of the Mechanical Irrigation and Flood Control Daily Wagers and Casual Laborers Employees Association in Jammu and Kashmir. He advocates for the rights and regularization of daily wage and casual labor employees in the region’s irrigation and flood control sector.
