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| SPOs continue to get peanuts for consummate services | | Govt indifferently points fingers at Centre | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 3: Even as the State Government acknowledged in the Legislative Assembly on Monday that the Special Police Officers (SPOs) have played an important role in fighting militancy in J&K, the present regime led by Omar Abdullah has failed to enhance meager wages of the SPOs despite repeated assurances on the Floor of the House during the last couple of years. Replying to a clubbed starred question regarding regularization of SPOs tabled by National Conference MLA Ajaz Ahmad Jan, Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh and Congress MLA Mohammad Sharief Niaz, the government informed that a proposal to enhance wages of the SPOs has been submitted to the Union Government.
"Presently, honorarium of Rs 3000 per month is paid to an SPO. A proposal for enhancement of the honorarium of SPOs from the existing Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 per month has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India, for concurrence which is awaited,"
"The matter is being pursued vigorously with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for favourable consideration," it added.
However, the information provided by the Government on enhancement of wages of the SPOs contains nothing new as almost similar reply was given three years back by none other than a senior Minister in the State cabinet
On March 10, 2011, the Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, who was responding on behalf of Minister Incharge Home, while giving reply to Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia's question on VDCs and SPOs had informed that a proposal was sent to Union Home Ministry for enhancement of SPOs wages.
Sagar at that point of time had said on the Floor of the House, " A proposal for enhancement of honorarium in respect of SPOs from the existing Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 5,000 per month has been taken up with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; however, the response is still awaited."
"Government is more than concerned and hopefully the wages of SPOs would be enhanced to Rs 5000 per month from the existing Rs 3000 per month," he had further said.
While the Government keeps on making assurances on the Floor of the House that wage enhancement of SPOs is under active consideration, the honorarium of SPOs, who are fighting a valiant battle in militancy infested areas and are key components of counter-insurgency operations, has yet to experience any hike from what they are getting presently. Referring to regularization of SPOs as Constables/Followers, the Government reply informed that a comprehensive policy in the year 2009 was formulated for absorption/conversion of SPOs as constables or followers (with minimum three years of continuous engagement) on the basis which include excellence in counter insurgency excellence in sports and having won 1st, 2nd or 3rd positions in individual or team events at the State or National level competitions and having obtained an ITI diploma in different trades or AICTE recognized diploma in computers subject to their qualifying in trade test.
"SPOs who have crossed the age limit of 28-years but are within 37 years of age and have completed three years of continuous engagement are also eligible to apply for the appointment/regularization to the post of Constables/Followers to the extent of 15 percent of the available vacancies," added the government reply. Government further informed that as many as 16639 SPOs were engaged during the last ten years in the State while 1320 SPOs have been regularized/absorbed in J&K Police on operational grounds.
It further stated that during the last year (2012 and 2013), 641 SPOs have been regularized in the state. |
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