Ladakh LG raises daily wagers’ pay to up to Rs 575 per day; Apex Body demands regularisation of services

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinar Kumar Saxena on Sunday announced a major wage rationalisation decision for daily wagers in various government departments increasing their wages from Rs Rs 300 to Rs 500 per month to Rs 450 to Rs 575 per day.

The decision was announced days before the representatives of Ladakh from Apex Body Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are scheduled to attend a meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on May 22 to press for their major demands of statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

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Saxena termed it a landmark reform in Ladakh to ensure dignified wages to the marginalised daily wagers, part-time/need-based workers, like sweepers, cleaners, gardeners and others who were working for pay as low as Rs 300 to Rs 500 per month, in various government departments, for years.

“Under the new wage matrix, skilled workers will now be paid @ Rs 575 per day, while unskilled workers will earn @ Rs 450 per day, on a pro-rata basis, thereby increasing their pay substantially,” Saxena informed. The LG has ordered comprehensive verification of all such workers and revision of their wages, within 20 days.

“I believe such abysmal pay violated the principles of social justice. We are committed to ensuring fair and dignified wages for all wage-earners, as per the ‘Minimum Wages Act’,” while acknowledging their immense contribution in delivering critical public services across Ladakh,” said Saxena.

ABL leader Cherring Dorjay Lakruk said the administration should have regularised these daily wagers who have been an integral and important part of the system for many years now. “How will they survive even with these revised wages? This is too little and too late,” Lakruk told ET. He said ABL and KDA have not received any formal invite or agenda from the MHA regarding the May 22 meeting. “We can formulate a strategy or respond only when we receive a formal invite and agenda. We haven’t received any of that yet,” said Lakruk.

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In Kargil, the KDA on Sunday unanimously announced Sajjad Kargili as co-chairman of the grouping following the death of Qamar Ali Akhoon of National Conference, earlier this year, who was the co-chairman along with Asgar Ali Karbalai of Congress.