In what can be seen as a major relief for thousands of workers across the Union Territory of Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved a long-awaited wage rationalisation policy for daily wagers, part-time workers and seasonal or need-based employees engaged by the UT Administration.
The decision is expected to benefit thousands of workers who had reportedly been receiving extremely low wages for several years, with some earning only a few hundred rupees per month despite serving for over a decade. The move has been widely hailed in the region.
Under the new framework, workers will now be categorised as “skilled” and “unskilled” employees. Skilled workers will receive wages of Rs 575 per day, while unskilled workers will be paid Rs 450 per day in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act. Payments will be calculated on a pro-rata basis depending on working hours and the nature of duties.
The move is likely to bring significant financial relief to workers engaged in essential services such as sanitation, gardening, cleaning and maintenance across various Government departments in Ladakh.The Administration stated that the reform was initiated following repeated representations from workers demanding implementation of minimum wages. Acting on these concerns, the Lieutenant Governor directed departments to conduct verification of workers engaged after March 17, 2015 and ensure a transparent and uniform wage structure.
Highlighting the importance of the workforce, the Lieutenant Governor said that daily wagers and seasonal workers play a vital role in maintaining public services and developmental activities, particularly in remote and difficult regions of Ladakh. He stressed that every worker deserves fair and dignified compensation.
Departments have been directed to verify employee records, working hours, nature of duties and Aadhaar-linked bank account details within twenty days. The revised wages will be transferred directly into workers’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system to ensure transparency. The Administration, however, clarified that the exercise is purely aimed at wage rationalisation and should not be interpreted as a move towards regularisation of services.
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