Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to take immediate policy action for the regularisation of over 12,000 Daily Rated Mazdoors (DRMs), contractual, and outsourced employees serving the Union Territory administration.
In a detailed letter addressed to the central leadership, Ray described the issue as a “long-pending and humanitarian matter,” pointing out that thousands of workers have been serving continuously for 5 to 25 years across departments including PWD, Health, Panchayati Raj institutions, Shipping, Forest, Tourism, and Revenue.
8,301 Workers Granted Relief, 3,967 Still Left Out
According to figures shared in the MP’s representation, 12,268 workers are employed in the administration, of which 8,301 DRMs have already been granted 1/30th pay plus Dearness Allowance following court orders. However, 3,967 contractual and outsourced employees, despite performing similar perennial duties, have been excluded from the benefit.
“These workers are the backbone of essential services in the islands. Denying them regularisation after decades of service is unjust, and risks unrest and disruption of public services,” Ray warned.
Citing Supreme Court Precedents
The MP highlighted recent Supreme Court judgments, including the Jaggo vs. Union of India (2024) case, which recognized that long-serving contractual and daily-rated workers could not be treated as temporary. “Their claim is both legally sustainable and morally compelling,” Ray wrote, adding that their past service must be recognized for pension and retirement benefits.
He also accused the Andaman & Nicobar administration of submitting half-hearted proposals to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the past, citing the Umadevi judgment while failing to present the true nature of the workers’ service. Ray alleged that Lt. Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi had “escaped judicial proceedings” by offering superficial proposals before the Supreme Court without providing actual relief to workers.
Call for Policy Intervention
Ray requested that the central government frame a special absorption scheme to adjust these workers against existing and supernumerary posts, as has been done earlier in departments like Electricity, Forest, and Revenue. He stressed that regularisation would not impose a major financial burden as many workers are already drawing government pay scales.
“This is not just a service matter, it is a question of justice and dignity,” Ray said, urging Modi and Shah to act in line with the government’s welfare commitments.
Copies of the representation have also been marked to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the Chief Secretary of the UT administration.
