Karnah, September 1( JKNS): Casual daily wagers working in various government departments staged a protest at mini secretariat Karnah on Tuesday, demanding regularisation of their services and urging the Jammu and Kashmir Government to take concrete steps towards resolving their long-pending concerns.
A large number of daily wagers participated in the protest and raised slogans in support of their demands. The protesters said that they have been serving in different departments for several years, performing duties similar to regular employees, but continue to work without the job security, benefits and financial stability enjoyed by permanent government employees.
The protesting workers appealed to the administration and the UT Government to address their grievances on priority and formulate a clear policy for their regularisation. They also demanded that the recommendations of the committee constituted by the government to examine the issue of daily wagers be implemented without further delay.
The protesters said that repeated assurances over the years have raised hopes among thousands of casual and need-based workers, but the absence of a final decision has left them in a state of uncertainty. They maintained that many of them have dedicated a significant portion of their working lives to government departments and are now seeking a fair and permanent resolution to their status.
Speaking during the protest, the workers urged the government to consider their years of service, age and contribution while framing any policy for regularisation. They said that prolonged engagement as daily wagers has created financial and social difficulties for their families, particularly in remote and economically challenging areas like Karnah.
The protesters further appealed to the concerned authorities to ensure that the issue is not delayed further at the administrative level. They said that implementation of the committee’s recommendations could provide relief to a large number of workers who have been waiting for a permanent solution for years.
The daily wagers also called for greater transparency regarding the government’s proposed policy on regularisation and requested that representatives of the workers be consulted before any final decision is taken.
The protest remained peaceful, with the participants reiterating that their agitation was aimed at drawing the government’s attention towards their genuine and long-pending demands. They expressed hope that the administration would convey their concerns to the higher authorities and initiate a meaningful process for resolving the issue.
The protesters warned that if their demands continue to remain unaddressed, they may be compelled to intensify their agitation through democratic and peaceful means.
The workers appealed to the Lieutenant Governor-led administration and the concerned departments to intervene and take an early decision on the regularisation issue, saying that a clear and time-bound policy would bring much-needed relief and stability to hundreds of families dependent on these workers.(JKNS)
