Pulwama, Mar 15: The Jammu and Kashmir government has ruled out the regularization of 610 Technical Assistants engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), citing their temporary nature of employment.
The matter was raised in the Legislative Assembly through a starred question by MLA Sonawari constituency Hilal Akbar Lone.
In response, the Minister In-charge of the Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj informed that all Technical Assistants and Engineers engaged under MGNREGA have been appointed on a purely temporary basis, with their contracts lasting only until the scheme’s expiry or the end of the contract period.
The Minister also addressed concerns about low wages, confirming that the honorarium for Technical Assistants had been enhanced from time to time.
The most recent increase, as per Government Order No. 49-JK (RD&PR) of 2024, dated January 31, 2024, raised their monthly salary from rupees 11,000 to rupees 16,500.
However, the government clarified that SRO-255 of 2003, which governs regularization, applies only to posts notified under Government Order No. 1018-GAD of 2003 or those subsequently notified by the General Administration Department.
It was told that since Technical Assistants under MGNREGA do not hold substantive positions, they fall outside the purview of SRO-255.
The government also confirmed that there is no ongoing proposal to regularize the services of Technical Assistants working under MGNREGA.
