No proposal to regularise MGNREGA staff in J&K: Govt

Jammu, Feb 9: The Jammu & Kashmir government on Monday informed the Assembly that it has no proposal under consideration to regularise Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) support staff, stating that around 3,800 personnel are currently working purely on a contractual and temporary basis across the Union Territory.
The information was shared by the Minister Incharge, Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, in a written reply to a question raised by MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz.
According to the government, nearly 3,800 MGNREGA support staff are engaged in J&K, and their honorarium has been periodically revised since their initial contractual appointments.
Detailing the role of the personnel, the ministry said MGNREGA staff are deployed at various levels – Panchayat, Block, District, Divisional and UT – and play a critical role in the grassroots implementation of the rural employment scheme.
On the question of regularisation, the government reiterated that all supporting staff under the centrally sponsored MGNREGA scheme are engaged on a temporary, contractual basis, valid only for the contract period or the duration of the scheme, whichever concludes earlier.
Their engagement, it added, is not against any sanctioned vacancy.
“As on date, there is no proposal regarding regularization of services of staff engaged under MGNREGA,” the reply stated.
However, the department noted that the honorarium for supporting staff has been raised periodically, with the latest revision issued under Government Order No. 49-RD&PR of 2024 dated January 30, 2024.
Revised Monthly Honorarium: GRS: Rs 6,806 to Rs 10,209, Technical Assistant: Rs 11,000 to Rs 16,500, MIS Operator: Rs 11,000 to Rs 13,200 and Admin/Accounts Assistant: Rs 6,806 to Rs 10,209
The government added that any future enhancement of honorarium will be considered in subsequent meetings of the State Employment Guarantee Council (SEGC). (KNO)