Yes, the general EWS (Economically Weaker Section) category rank is absolutely valid for JoSAA counselling. In fact, it is the specific rank you should use if you belong to the EWS category.
During JoSAA counselling, admissions are based on your category rank not the CRL. This means that an EWS candidate with a good EWS rank will have a higher chance of getting a seat compared to a general category candidate with a similar CRL rank due to the reservation benefits for EWS.

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/josaa-reporting-centres

I hope it helps!