The regularisation demand raised by daily, casual wagers though has not been accepted by the Jammu and Kashmir Government, but surely it has presented a humane face by extending regular wages to over 60,000 such youth engaged by the government departments. Earlier during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure government had announced to create 15,000 jobs and to fast track the process, the government had decided not only to skip the norms, but also recruits to be paid only half their salaries for seven years during probation period. They will be only regularised after receiving satisfactory reports about their performance. Already State Government departments are over staffed by these casual workers of which many of them have already covered over two decades of service. The hope of getting regularised was rekindled during the Governor’s rule after the demise of Mufti. These sections have been on protest over the government order calling for screening test of Rehber-e-Taleem teachers and even the State High Court too called the order is not in tune with the Court directions and expressed concern over the street protests by teachers. All this had taken place at a time when the State Cabinet in last June had approved Jammu and Kashmir Special Recruitment Ordinance-2015 to fast track the appointment of contractual employees. Under the policy, fresh appointments made will be regular but the effect of regularisation will be given after five years of service. The five years will be considered as probationary. For the five years, the new recruits will get minimum basic pay and grade pay. All other benefits will be given after regularisation of the services. No doubt a section of them were absorbed but majority pinned hope on the Governor rule after the political stalemate. Today they are the most dejected lot. However, these newly appointed recruits would be still waiting to become permanent employees when the State goes to polls in 2020. In October last Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu had persuaded the protesting daily wagers to break the fast and told them that the State Government will examine their demands sympathetically and take an appropriate decision soon. Drabu also announced formulation of a comprehensive plan to address the issues relating to the plight of daily wagers, ad hoc, contractual and all other such categories of temporary workers.
