Srinagar: Senior PDP leader and Pulwama MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para on Wednesday urged the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to intervene for the effective implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in government departments, aiming to ensure economic justice for labourers in the Union Territory.
In a petition addressed to Chief Justice Arun Palli of the J&K and Ladakh High Court, Para highlighted the grievances of need-based, seasonal, casual, and regular government workers, alleging that they are being denied wages in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act and the rules prescribed by the government.
“As a public representative, I have been receiving complaints about widespread exploitation of these workers, whose wages are not aligned with government-notified standards,” Para stated.
He noted that while the government has revised wage rates for skilled, unskilled, highly skilled, and ministerial categories—raising daily wages to ₹300—many seasonal and casual labourers claim the new rates are not being properly implemented.
Para said he had personally tried to obtain official records on the revised wage structure and the number of eligible labourers, but was denied access to the necessary documents.
“The state and its agencies have a moral and constitutional obligation to ensure that government workers are paid fair and dignified wages,” he asserted in the petition.
He urged the Chief Justice to personally intervene to ensure full implementation of the Minimum Wages Act across all government departments in J&K, calling it essential to uphold the fundamental rights of workers under Articles 15 and 21 of the Constitution. Para also requested the court to seek a status or action taken report from the relevant department.
“The failure to implement the revised wage rates violates the fundamental rights of labourers and undermines their right to work, equality, and dignity,” Para said.
