JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced that the government will initiate the process of regularising daily-rated, ad hoc and other temporary employees in 2026 in a legally and financially sustainable manner, while simultaneously working to fill nearly 30,000 vacant posts during the current year.
Replying to the discussion on grants of his departments and cut motions in the Assembly, the Chief Minister acknowledged that the issue of daily wagers and temporary workers has remained unresolved for decades. He said employees engaged for 20 to 40 years have continued to struggle, with successive governments unable to fully address the matter.
Abdullah reiterated that the government is committed to beginning the regularisation process in a structured and legally sound manner. He informed the House that a committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been constituted to examine the issue and frame a policy that can withstand judicial scrutiny and meet financial parameters.
“Regularisation cannot happen overnight. We will not mislead employees by taking hasty decisions without proper groundwork,” he said, adding that the exact number of eligible workers — whether 70,000, 80,000 or over one lakh — will be determined through a systematic exercise and clear timeline.
Earlier this week, the Chief Minister informed the Assembly that over one lakh daily wagers and casual labourers are currently engaged across various government departments in Jammu and Kashmir. The registered workforce includes 69,696 casual labourers, 8,836 daily-rated workers, 8,534 seasonal labourers, 5,757 food and civil supplies helpers, 2,153 part-time sweepers and 1,929 persons engaged through the hospital development fund.
On employment generation, Abdullah clarified that there is a distinction between the creation of posts and actual appointments. He said while a certain number of posts were created, around 6,000 to 6,500 positions have already been filled. The government now aims to fill nearly 30,000 existing vacancies this year without creating new posts.
He assured the House that all recruitments will be conducted in a transparent and time-bound manner in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board and the Public Service Commission, so as to avoid legal complications that had affected recruitment drives in the past.
