Ladakh L-G Approves Long‑Pending Wage Rationalisation for Daily‑Rated Workers

What are you doing? Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the long-awaited wage rationalization for daily wagers, part-time, seasonal and need-based employees deployed by the Union Territory administration.

Announcing the decision on Sunday, he said thousands of workers who have been earning as little as 300 to 500 rupees a month for several years will finally receive fair compensation. Many of them have been working for these meager wages for more than 10 to 15 years. The Lt. Governor has now ordered that their wages be brought in line with the Government of India Minimum Wages Act.

According to the new wage structure, workers will be classified as unskilled and skilled. Skilled workers will be paid ₹575 per day and unskilled workers will be paid ₹450 per day. The revised wages will be calculated on a pro-rata basis depending on the hours of duty and the nature of the work. This change is expected to lead to a significant increase in the earnings of workers such as sweepers, gardeners, cleaners and others who support essential public services in Ladakh. The beneficiaries include both local residents and a significant number of migrant workers who are forced to work for extremely low wages due to long-standing anomalies in the system.

The decision came after numerous representatives from daily wagers in various departments called on the Lt. Governor to implement the minimum wage. Responding immediately, Saxena directed relevant departments to conduct comprehensive verification of workers hired after March 17, 2015 and ensure that wage rationalization is carried out in a fair, transparent and uniform manner. He noted that over the years, different departments have hired part-time, seasonal and day-rated workers at very different pay levels, leading to wide disparities.

Confirming the management’s determination once again, the Lieutenant Governor said that every worker deserves fair and decent wages. He emphasized that daily wagers, seasonal and part-time workers play an important role in strengthening public services and supporting development activities in Ladakh, especially in remote and challenging areas. The administration said it would do everything necessary to protect their well-being in a transparent and accountable manner.

Departments have been instructed to verify the job details, nature of work, working hours and Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of all employees and submit the verified data within twenty days. To ensure transparency and avoid any leakage, the revised fees will be paid strictly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The management also explained that this practice is only a measure to rationalize fees and should not be interpreted as a step towards regularization of services.