Srinagar, Sept 30: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has told the Legislative Assembly that there is currently no framework for considering the regularisation of “left-over” Daily Rated Workers (DRWs) even as it said a committee constituted last year is examining the issue from legal, financial and humanitarian perspectives.
The disclosure was made in a written reply to Starred Question No. 1/6/15 raised by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania during the sixth session of the J&K Legislative Assembly on appointments and engagements in Government departments, Public Sector Undertakings, autonomous bodies, boards and authorities.
The Government said appointments and engagements in Government departments and entities substantially owned or controlled by it are governed by the applicable statutory provisions, recruitment rules, regulations and Government orders. It said a comprehensive exercise had been undertaken to ensure that appointments in Government departments and such entities conform to the prescribed recruitment framework.
On the long-pending issue of daily-rated and other categories of workers, the Government said various departments had, over the years, engaged Helpers, Daily Rated Workers, Work-Charged Employees, casual and seasonal labourers and other workers according to their operational and functional requirements.
The Government traced the earlier regularisation regime to the Jammu and Kashmir Daily Rated Workers/Work Charged Employees (Regularisation) Rules, 1994, which provided for regularisation of eligible DRWs subject to prescribed conditions. Subsequently, SRO-520 of 2017, which notified the Jammu and Kashmir Casual and Other Workers-Regular Engagement Rules, 2017, provided a framework for regular engagement of eligible casual, seasonal and other categories of workers, including DRWs.
An Empowered Committee was also constituted through Government Order No. 139-F of 2015 dated August 19, 2015, to consider proposals relating to the formal creation of posts for regularisation of eligible leftover DRWs.
However, the Government said that following the reorganisation of J&K in 2019, no framework is currently in place to consider the regularisation of such workers. It added that it nevertheless recognises the need for a “structured and sustainable resolution” of the issue.
In this regard, the Government said it constituted a committee through Government Order No. 384-JK(GAD) of 2025 dated March 19, 2025, to examine various aspects of the matter. The committee, according to the reply, is undertaking a comprehensive examination with a view to formulating a framework that is legally sound, financially sustainable and administratively implementable across departments.
“The Government will take a considered decision” after completion of the exercise and receipt of the requisite inputs from the concerned departments and authorities, the reply said.
On recruitment in Government-controlled entities, the Government cited S.O. 506 of 2024, under which recruitment to all non-gazetted posts in Public Sector Undertakings, companies, boards and corporations substantially owned or controlled by the Government is to be conducted through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). The Government said the arrangement was intended to provide a uniform and transparent recruitment mechanism. A proposal to extend a similar institutionalised mechanism to gazetted posts in such entities is also under consideration.
The reply also placed the JK-HRMS system within the Government’s broader recruitment and service-record framework. It said the portal provides an integrated mechanism for maintaining and verifying employee service records, including details relating to appointment, joining, qualifications, postings and promotions.
Citing Circular No. 35-JK(GAD) of 2022 dated October 12, 2022, the Government said service-related information is required to be integrated into JK-HRMS, with the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers responsible for ensuring that such information is updated and verified against service records. It further referred to Circular No. 09-JK(GAD) of 2024 dated April 20, 2024, which provides for uploading relevant appointment records in the HRMS framework.
The Government also clarified that candidates shortlisted for document verification by recruiting agencies are required to produce original certificates and relevant documents prescribed in the advertisement. Academic, domicile, category and other eligibility documents are verified before final selection or recommendation, while JK-HRMS provides for maintaining the verified appointment and service particulars of employees after their appointment.
