JAMMU, MAR 11: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Tuesday the formation of a high-powered committee to address the long-standing issue of regularising daily-rated, ad hoc, and casual workers in the Union Territory. The committee, headed by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, will work on a comprehensive roadmap that will be presented in the next budget session of the Legislative Assembly.
This announcement came during the Chief Minister’s reply to the motion of thanks on the 2025 budget address in the Assembly, following heated debates over the plight of daily wage employees.
Abdullah assured that the issue had not been forgotten, stating, “We want to reassure the daily-rated workers, ad hoc, and casual workers that we have not forgotten them. I am announcing the committee in front of the Assembly, and will issue the official order today after my budget speech.” The committee will also include the Additional Chief Secretary, the Finance Secretary, and the Secretaries of the Planning, General Administration, and Law Departments.
The Chief Minister outlined the committee’s task of thoroughly assessing the number of daily wagers, along with the legal and financial aspects of their regularisation. “The committee will be given six months to review the figures and prepare a roadmap on how to proceed so that in the next budget session, I can stand before you and say, ‘This is what we are going to do,’” he said, stressing that the Law Department’s input would be crucial, particularly after a Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
This move comes in the wake of widespread protests by daily wage employees from the Jal Shakti Department, who were demanding the release of their wages and regularization. The protests turned violent, resulting in cane charges and detentions, leading to a walkout by BJP members from the Assembly in protest.
Addressing the budgetary matters, the Chief Minister also lashed out at.the previous PDP-BJP coalition government for failing to resolve the issue of daily wagers despite mentioning it in every budget document from 2015 to 2018. “In the four budget documents, only in the 2018-19 budget, an SRO-520 was issued which addressed the issue of daily wagers, but after the fall of the government, it was scrapped. The BJP didn’t speak a word when it was scrapped,” Omar Abdullah stated. He added that his government had come close to addressing the issue in 2014, but the devastating floods that year disrupted the process.
“Then came the J&K Reorganization Act, which shut the door on their regularisation. Now, we must reopen this issue. But in these years, their numbers have changed, making it difficult to determine an accurate count,” he said. “The government must start from the scratch to resolve their concerns,” he said.
Reflecting on the past, he acknowledged, “I agree we didn’t do anything and that is why we lost the elections in 2014.”
The Chief Minister highlighted that, over the past decade, opposition which were in power then failed to address the issue, despite having both state and central authority. He accused them of prioritising the 7th Pay Commission over the regularisation of daily wagers, making the situation more complicated.
Responding to criticism about acknowledging financial support from the Centre, the Chief Minister stated, “The central government has extended financial support to us. Should I be ashamed to admit it? No, I will not. The reality is that we are not yet self-sufficient. We are not financially independent. That is our challenge. And that is precisely what we must work toward.” He stressed that Jammu and Kashmir had always relied on central funds, but the goal was to achieve financial self-reliance in the long run. “This is not a new struggle. Our past budgets reflect the same reality. But we aspire for more. We aim for a future where Jammu and Kashmir stands on its own feet.” To achieve this, the government has focused on developing new tourism destinations, industrial estates, and encouraging start-ups and entrepreneurship.
He stressed the financial constraints facing the Union Territory, adding, “Do I have enough money to take all the power projects into my hands and start working on them? No. Can I provide free electricity to all the people? No. In today’s age, we don’t even have the budget to ensure 24-hour electricity for Jammu and Kashmir. We are forced to buy electricity. We have worked on increasing social benefits for the poor. But is this truly enough to meet their needs? No.”
Despite the financial challenges, he emphasised the importance of fiscal responsibility, stating, “It has remained the reality of Jammu and Kashmir and how can I avoid it? I don’t have money to fulfill all the requirements, but I believe that you should cut your coat according to your cloth.”
Dispelling the misconception that Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are fully funded by the Government of India, the Chief Minister explained that the UT also contributes significantly. He cited the PM Golden Card, which covers only BPL families under central funding, while the remaining 18 lakh families are supported by the UT.
Similarly, under the National Social Assistance Program, 1.43 lakh BPL families receive pensions from central funds, but 8 lakh additional pensioners are covered by the UT’s own resources. “These are not mere figures; they represent our responsibility toward our people.”
Responding to the opposition, particularly BJP members, the Chief Minister remarked that instead of focusing on the budget, their speeches were centered around Article 370, Maharaja Ji, and July 13.
The Chief Minister quipped, “When the opening batsman of BJP came with all preparations to play cricket, he started playing football. It looked like that more than discussing the budget, he was speaking at the LG address.”
Addressing concerns about the inflationary impact of the budget, the Chief Minister dismissed claims from Sajad Lone that it would have significant inflationary effects, saying, “It won’t have any inflationary impact but if it has, it will not be much.” He reassured the House that the government’s commitments outlined in the National Conference manifesto would be fulfilled over the next five years. “A base has been laid in this budget and the strong base will see a building in the next budget. In next five years, things will be in a position that will take Jammu and Kashmir to its goal,” he said confidently.
He concluded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to restoring dignity, empowerment, and self-reliance for the people.
“Some may see these initiatives as mere drops in the ocean, but history has shown that even the mightiest oceans are formed by countless drops. With these small but meaningful steps, in five years, we will restore the dignity of our people and build a financially self-sufficient Jammu and Kashmir,” he concluded.
