By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 11: The Labour Commissioner has initiated action on several key demands raised by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing state muster roll unions, following a consultative meeting held on April 29.
According to a statement from the Labour Commissioner’s office, four of the five core demands have been addressed or clarified at the policy level.
A revised notification on the Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) was issued on May 1, 2026, updating minimum wages effective from April 1, 2026.
These rates will be reviewed every six months based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The department noted that a VDA revision was not conducted in October 2025 due to negative CPI variation.
On the demand to grant Regular Casual Worker (RCW) status to those with 10 years of service, the government clarified that this is an established policy under the 1996 Regular Casual Workers Scheme and a 2017 Office Memorandum. Similarly, the categorization of wages into four groups based on length of service is already in effect through existing Personnel Department mandates.
EPF Implementation Regarding the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), the government noted that the EPFO requires all establishments with 20 or more persons to register all categories of workers, including muster roll and contractual staff.
The Labour Commissioner has directed all eligible government departments to comply with these registration requirements.
The issue of enhancing the retirement age for regular casual workers remains unresolved as the matter is currently sub-judice before the High Court of Meghalaya. The Labour Commissioner’s office stated that a clarificatory circular will be sent to all department heads, and the matter will continue to be pursued with the Personnel Department and the court for a final resolution.
The Labour Commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of casual and muster roll workers, noting that the majority of policy concerns have now been settled.
