Daily wagers stage protest in Srinagar, demand time-bound regularisation

Srinagar, Sep 1: Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Casual Daily Wagers Forum (JKCDF) on Tuesday staged a protest at Press Enclave here, demanding time-bound regularisation of their services and an early resolution of their long-pending issues.
The protesters called for the report of the committee constituted to examine the regularisation of daily wagers, saying the process should not be delayed any further.
Addressing the gathering, JKCDF president Sajad Ahmed Parray, said the government had promised to address the issue and should now take concrete steps towards regularisation.
“The government should take the matter forward and resolve our issues. They promised regularisation and we want them to fulfil the promise,” Parray said.
The forum has repeatedly raised concerns over the delay in framing a clear roadmap for regularisation. In a recent press conference, it had said the committee constituted in March 2025 was expected to submit its report within six months, but the report was still awaited. The forum has put the number of affected daily wagers at around 61,000.
Parray said the daily wagers have continued to work for years without permanent employment status, while facing financial and job insecurity.
As part of its campaign to highlight their hardships, the forum said a 16-minute film documenting the struggles of daily wagers was later screened at Tagore Hall in Srinagar.
He also announced another protest at SK Park in Srinagar on September 10, saying the forum would continue its peaceful agitation until the government addresses their demand. “We will continue our peaceful struggle until the government addresses the long-pending demand of daily wagers,” Parray said.
Pertinently, the forum has warned that the agitation could be intensified if the government fails to make progress on the regularisation issue. The protesters urged the authorities to expedite the process, submit the pending committee report and provide a concrete roadmap for regularisation of their services. (KNO)