PANAJI
In a major reform move, the Goa government has announced a complete stop to direct hiring of daily wage and NMR (Nominal Muster Roll) workers across all departments, corporations, autonomous bodies, and local bodies while granting “temporary status” to over 3,000 existing daily wage workers, who have completed seven years in service.
Going forward, all such appointments will be routed exclusively through the Goa Human Resource Development Corporation (GHRDC). Any direct engagement outside this system “shall be null and void,” the government said.
The announcements are part of the newly approved scheme ‘Grant of Temporary Status to Daily Wage Workers’ by the Cabinet. The scheme aimed at regularising over 3,000 existing daily wagers who have completed more than seven years of service, as assured in the State Budget 2025-26.
Addressing a press conference post meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the move was driven by the twin goals of regularisation and reform. “While we are honouring the commitment to our long-serving workers, we are also putting an end to unregulated, ad-hoc hiring. Going forward, all recruitments will be transparent, accountable and routed through GHRDC,” he said.
The scheme promises monthly pay of Rs 20,000 for labour roles and Rs 25,000 for clerical and skilled posts, with 3 per cent annual increments and EPF contributions. The benefits will take effect from August 1, 2025, though increments will be counted notionally from the year the worker completed seven years of service.
Currently, the daily wage worker is paid Rs 12,818 per month as per daily wage rate.
Workers will also be eligible for leave entitlements and will be mandatorily enrolled under Atal Pension Yojana, PMJJBY, and PMSBY. The government estimates an annual financial burden of around Rs 4 crore due to this transition.
Further, the scheme explained that if the daily wage labour has completed seven years in 2020, his or her remuneration of Rs 20,000 notionally with effect from 2020 with three per cent will be granted with retrospective effect till July 2025, that is total five increments. As such, from August 1, that labourer will be eligible for monthly salary of Rs 23,185.
