Bishnu Pada Ray on Friday raised the long-pending issue of Daily Rated Mazdoor (DRM) workers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during Zero Hour in Parliament, drawing attention to the uncertain status of thousands of contractual labourers engaged across government departments.
Addressing the Speaker, the Member of Parliament highlighted that nearly 12,000 workers are currently employed as DRMs or on a contractual basis under around 40 departments of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, including key sectors such as agriculture, power, and electricity. He noted that many of these workers have been serving continuously for 10 to 15 years, despite lacking permanent employment status.
Flagging the prolonged nature of the issue, Ray referred to earlier efforts made during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when steps were taken to improve the payment structure of such workers. He recalled that DRMs under the Public Works Department (PWD) were then categorized into a “one-third category” for better wage regulation. However, he pointed out that while incremental measures were taken in the past, the core demand for regularisation has remained unresolved for years.
The MP further informed the House that he had formally raised the matter on September 12, 2025, urging authorities to consider granting permanent status to these workers. He added that the issue has since gained legal backing, citing a recent directive of the High Court dated February 19, 2026, which ordered the regularisation of these labourers.
Calling for immediate action, Ray appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to implement the court’s directive and ensure job security for the affected workers. He stressed that regularisation would not only provide stability to thousands of families but also strengthen the functioning of various government departments that rely heavily on this workforce.
The intervention during Zero Hour has once again brought the spotlight on the long-standing employment concerns in the islands, particularly regarding contractual and daily wage workers who form a significant part of the administrative workforce.
With the issue now raised at the national level, attention is likely to turn toward the response of the concerned authorities and the timeline for any concrete steps toward regularisation.
