Leh, February 28 : Two delegations comprising casual/daily-rated labourers engaged post-2015 and Watch & Ward personnel of the Forest Department met the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat to seek an increase in their salaries.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Sanjiv Khirwar, IAS; Commissioner/Secretary to the HLG, Dr. L Franklin, IAS; PCCF Ladakh, Brij Mohan Sharma, IFoS; Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve, IAS, and Director, Finance, Dr. Safdar Ali, IRS.
The delegations highlighted their financial struggles due to inadequate remuneration. The Watch & Ward personnel informed that they are currently paid only ₹750 per month, while the casual labourers’ representatives stated that even highly skilled workers receive low wages.
Responding to their concerns, Director Finance, Dr. Safdar Ali, informed that the UT Administration recently raised the salaries of 1,900 casual/daily-rated labourers who were engaged before 2015. He further stated that a committee has been formed to review the cases of labourers hired after 2015 and provide recommendations.
Lt Governor BD Mishra emphasized that no daily-rated or casual labourer engaged by government departments should be excluded from consideration. He directed the Director, Finance, to issue an order banning the further engagement of casual/daily-rated labourers in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines. He also instructed that clear Terms of Reference (ToR) be prepared for the committee to ensure a comprehensive examination of the issue.
Stressing the importance of fair wages, the Lt Governor directed the Finance Department to review budgetary allocations and seek clarity from departments regarding the roles, responsibilities, and working hours of casual labourers. The committee’s recommendations, he added, must comply with legal provisions while ensuring that all workers receive just remuneration.
