Jammu, Feb 9: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has quashed hopes of permanent employment for its MGNREGA support staff, numbering around 3,800. In a pointed assembly reply Monday, Rural Development Minister informed MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz that no regularization proposal is on the table.
Essential cogs in the MGNREGA wheel, these contract workers are stationed across panchayat, block, district, division, and UT echelons. They drive scheme implementation, from job card distribution to wage payments, embodying the Act’s promise of 100 rural workdays.
Honorariums have evolved positively over time, with Government Order 49-RT & PR (Jan 30, 2024) delivering sharp increases: GRS and Admin/Account Assistants to Rs 10,209 monthly (previously Rs 6,806); Technical Assistants to Rs 16,500; MIS Operators to Rs 13,200—all from Rs 11,000 baselines.
Tied strictly to scheme validity and sans approved posts, their tenures preclude regularization. SEGC meetings will chart any ahead pay enhancements. This revelation underscores contractual hiring’s role in scheme efficiency, amid J&K’s unique governance landscape. While hikes offer relief, the lack of permanence spotlights tensions between program mandates and worker aspirations, potentially impacting morale and retention in vital rural outreach.