The government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced that the cases of regularization for Safai Karamcharis working as casual laborers in various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) will be reviewed by a committee formed for the regularization of daily wagers.
Minister for Health, Sakeena Itoo, speaking on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, addressed a query raised by legislator Bharat Bhushan in the Legislative Assembly. She shared that there are currently 7,353 Safai Karamcharis employed across ULBs in J&K. Of these, many have been serving for over 10 to 15 years and are working in permanent positions, while only a few remain casual laborers.
The Minister highlighted that the government has consistently followed a pro-labor policy within the framework of the law. She also noted that the regularization policy is under review, considering the Supreme Court’s ruling in State of Karnataka v/s Uma Devi, which stipulates that any policy for regularization through executive orders, statutory orders, or legislative enactments violates Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution of India.
Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that various protective items, such as PPE kits, gum boots, gloves, masks, and other necessary equipment, have been provided to sanitation workers under the NAMASTE scheme.
Legislators Balwant Singh Mankotia, Reyaz Ahmad Khan, and Mehraj Malik raised supplementary questions during the discussion.
