Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: In a major relief for long-serving daily wage workers, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant on Monday announced that the Cabinet has approved the new scheme titled ‘Grant of Temporary Status to Daily Wage Workers’, as promised in the 2025-26 Budget Speech. The scheme aims to regularize and extend benefits to over 3,000 workers who have completed more than seven years of continuous service in various government Departments, Corporations, Autonomous Bodies and Local Bodies.
Under the scheme, eligible workers will be granted temporary status and will receive enhanced monthly remuneration, leave entitlements, and employee provident fund (EPF) benefits. Workers such as cleaners, helpers, labourers, guards, watchmen, and MTS staff will now draw a net monthly pay of ₹20,000, while LDCs, clerks, drivers, electricians, plumbers and equivalent staff will receive ₹25,000. This is a significant jump from the current average pay of ₹12,818 for daily wage workers — translating to a 52% rise in take-home income. Annual increments of 3% will also be applicable.
CM Sawant stated that remuneration will be revised notionally from the year of completion of seven years of service, and the revised pay with prospective monetary benefits will be effective from August 1, 2025. For example, a labourer who completed seven years in 2020 will now receive ₹23,185 per month after accounting for five years of 3% increments.
In addition, workers granted temporary status will be entitled to 1 day of casual leave for every 15 days worked, 15 days of sick leave per year (accumulable up to 60 days), and maternity leave as per the Maternity Benefit Act. Enrolment under central schemes like Atal Pension Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana will be compulsory to avail benefits.
Dr. Sawant also announced that the engagement of new daily wage or NMR staff will be disallowed going forward, with all future appointments to be made compulsorily through the Goa Human Resource Development Corporation (GHRDC). Any other appointments shall be deemed null and void. The additional financial burden on the state due to the scheme is estimated to be around ₹4 crore annually.
