RECONSIDER 25,000 HOME GUARDS TERMINATION, POLICE DEPT URGED

LUCKNOW:A day after the state police terminated the service of 25,000 home guards, the state home guard department has urged the police to reconsider its decision.

Home guards and civil security minister Chetan Chauhan said the state police had not sacked the home guards jawan but removed them from duty. “The home guard department sends the jawans on deputation to various government depa rtments. The home guards do not have any fixed monthly salary but are paid on the basis of number of days of duty,” he said. “A large number of jawans are ser ving with the state police, managing traffic and doing other jobs entrusted to the m. They are given daily allowances by the department. The problem aroused after the SC directed the state government to give daily allowance to the home guards at par with the state police,” he said.

The home guards were paid Rs 500 daily stipend, but after the apex court order it increased to Rs 672 per day. The order had added to the state police’s budgetary constraints. Since the allowance was revised in the middle of the financial years, the police department expressed its inability to pay them according to the court order. Thus, the police removed 25,000 home guards from duty,” he said. “I told the DGP not to remove all the home guards from duty but to curtail their strength, according to the budget available with the police department. The DGP assured me that he will consider the proposal. The state government is committed to give daily allowance to the home gua rds according to the apex court order. In the financial year 2020-21, budgetary allocation will be made for the payment of the revised stipend to the jawans,” Chauhan said. He added: “I have urged the departments to curtail the days of services of the home guards from 30 days to 22 days. In this way, the government departments, including police, will be able to pay revised allowance to the jawans. After the budget is passed in March next year, the jawans will get 30 days employment.”

In an order on Monday, additional director general (ADG), police headquarter, Prayagraj, BP Jogdand said, the posting of 25,000 home guards in the state police has been terminated with immediate effect. Jogdand told the SPs of all the districts, DIG range and IGP zones to send details of the services provided by the home gaurds in their respective districts, ranges and zones within a week for payment of allowances.