Regularisation Of Daily-wagers In Jammu Kashmir: Omar Abdullah Govt Forms Committee To Work Out Roadmap
Omar also hit out at the previous PDP-BJP coalition government for failing to address the issue of daily wagers.
By ETV Bharat Jammu & Kashmir Team
Published : March 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM IST
By Amir Tantray
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday announced the constitution of a high powered Committee to be headed by Chief Secretary to work out a roadmap for regularisation of daily wagers, ad hoc and casual labourers in the union territory.
Apart from CS, additional CS in CM office, Finance Secretary, General Administration Department Secretary and law Secretary will be part of the Committee.
"The Committee will be working out a framework on total numbers of daily wagers, financial aspect and legal aspect and the report will be submitted within six months. After the budget speech I will issue a formal order in this regard and hope in the next budget a policy will be announced for them," the CM said with a huge round of applause from the treasury benches.
Omar Abdullah was responding to the discussion on budget in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and after skipping the daily wagers' issue in the budget document, he responded to it and announced the formation of a Committee.
The CM also hit hard at the previous PDP-BJP coalition government for failing to address the issue despite mentioning it in every budget document from 2015 to 2018.
"In the four budget documents, only in the 2018-19 budget a SRP 520 was issued which talked about the daily wagers but after the fall of government, it was scrapped. But the BJP didn't speak a word when it was scrapped. We were very close to addressing it in 2014 but it got washed away in the floods. I agree we didn't do anything and that is why we lost the elections in 2014," the CM maintained.
Omar started his budget speech by replying to the point raised by PDP MLA whether the Persian couplet was pessimistic, and said, "This was not pessimistic but realistic as I had mentioned that I have wounds all over the body and where I can use the balm. I didn't say that I have wounds all over the body and only death is the solution."
"It has remained the reality of Jammu and Kashmir and how can I avoid it? I don't have money to fulfill the requirements, can't take all the power projects in my hands and give power to all. But I believe that you should cut your coat according to your cloth," he added.
Replying to Sajad Lone's statement about the budget having an inflationary effect on people, the CM said, "It won't have any inflationary effect but if it has, it will not be much."
He assured that all the promises made in the manifesto of the National Conference will be fulfilled in 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 which will take Jammu and Kashmir to its goal," he said.
Targeting BJP's MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, the CM said, "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, Mankotia was speaking at the LG address. We have heard that BJP MLAs were reprimanded for allowing us to change the narrative. That is why when Mankotia started budget speech, he talked about Article 370, Maharaja, Dogra rule and July 13."
Maintaining that some members were terming this budget a love letter to BJP, the CM said, "Yes, it is a love letter to BJP, to PDP, CPIM, AIP and independents. It is a love letter to people of Jammu and Kashmir. Those having issues with praising PM, FM and HM should know that when they have helped J&K there is no sin in praising them and thanking them for their help."
On comparing J&K with Delhi UT, he said, "Delhi is a surplus budget UT and you must be aware when Arvind Kejriwal presented his first UT budget of Delhi, his own officers went against it and published advertisements in the newspapers."
Saying that people were asking what was special about this budget, Omar Abdullah replied, "What is special about this budget is that after so many years J&K budget was presented in its Assembly and not in the Parliament. We all are discussing it in our Assembly and not being discussed by MPs in the Parliament."
"We have taken a few baby steps and started our journey. I hope that these droplets will turn into an ocean after five years," the CM ended.
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