The issues of casual labours, daily wagers in various departments are still there, as day-in-and-day-out, we see protests going on wherein these workers are either demanding release of their pending salaries or are seeking regularization of their services in various departments that they are working in.
The irony is that the workers who are working in the PDD and played a vital role in making sure that there is a continuous electricity supply during the snowfall that Kashmir witnessed, are also being deprived of their hard-earned wages as several such workers are without salaries for the last at least 1 year.
The same is the case with several other departments in J&K. The other issue is the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in J&K. It is something that the Government has not far bothered to implement in the Union Territory as it would have ensured that the workers would at least get what they deserve. But ironically, while the Government is making huge claims of bringing a change for a common man in J&K, the reality is that no effective measures are being taken on the ground.
There is a need for addressing the issues of this working-class who have been working in various departments but haven’t been given what they deserve with the result of which they, along with their families, have been left to suffer.
The Government must take steps aimed at improving the living standard of these workers across J&K and should desist from treating them as “cattle”. There is a need for bringing about a change, why not start from these workers?
