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| Hike in SPOs salaries | | EDITORIAL | |
Hundred percent hike in the allowances of Special Police Officers
(SPOs) sanctioned by the Union Government, on the recommendation of
J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is welcomed by all sections of the
people. About 32000 SPOs recruited in J&K from time to time, since
1996 were so far getting a very meagre salary of Rs 1500 per month,
which has now been raised to Rs 3000 per month. Although this hiked
salary of 3000 pm too is not in keeping with the services rendered by
these SPOs and the risk and other odds involved in the discharge of
duties by them, yet it will provide them some relief. These SPOs have
been working shoulder to shoulder with regular police personnel in
curbing terrorism in the state. Their task is no less important and
involves no less risk of their life than that of regular police force
men. During last these years quite a large number of SPOs or their
family members have been selectively targetted by the terrorists, as
punishment awarded to them by the militants for acting and foiling
their nefarious designs. The announced hike will put the burden on the
exchequer of Central Government to the tune of Rs 84 crores per annum
against the present expenditure of Rs 42 crores pa. This is the time
now that the government should favourably consider and effect a
similar increase in the allowances of the members of village defense
comities. Although these VDC members are not the regular employs of
the government and they render service within their own villages or
areas of inhabitation to put up defense against any strike by the
militants in the area of their jurisdiction, yet they are always under
heavy risk of the ultras. Hence they deserve due recognition of their
services. However, either in respect of recruiting SPOs or VDC members
a thorough scrutiny should be made and extra care should be taken to
verify the credentials of the persons seeking recruitment. There have
been several cases during all these years of some SPOs secretly
working for the terrorist outfits and join their ranks whenever a
critical situation develops. Against this there are also cases where
the families of the SPOs, particularly those who live in remote and
far off areas are under constant threat of liquidation by the
militants and some time some SPOs are found to have succumbed to the
pressure and threats by the ultras and are forced to oblige them by
passing on information to them about the movement of VIPs,
facilitating the VIPs to become soft target of the militants. Hence
there is also a dire need to provide adequate protection to the
families of the SPOs as well as to the VDC members and their families
in the remote areas. Since the war again terrorism is a long drawn one
and the country can hardly afford recruiting regulars in the police
force, for their deployment in each and every village and every
locality of the towns, a policy of recruiting part time volunteers to
undertake as well as help the police and the security forces in facing
the onslaught of the terrorists will be always there. Whereas
motivation of the youth and inculcating in them the spirit of
patriotism and sacrifices for higher causes or to protect the lives of
large number of people is imperative, it is also necessary that the
government should look after the well being and bare daily
requirements of these volunteers.
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