Hike daily pay from ₹400 to ₹1K, Home Guards demand

MUMBAI: Amidst a major manpower crunch due to inadequate allowance, the Home Guards administration has urged the state government to increase their daily allowance from the existing ₹400 to ₹1,000. This comes after a 2016 Supreme Court directive asking states to raise the daily allowance of Home Guards on par with the average daily salary of police constables. Though some other states had already implemented the SC’S directive, Maharashtra is yet to follow it. Home Guards perform the same duty and wield the same powers as policemen when deployed on assignments to assist the police and act as a force multiplier in times of need.

The office of the director general, Home Guards and civil defence, recently sent a letter to the home department to implement the court’s directive by hiking the allowance from the existing ₹400 (additional ₹100 as food allowance on completion of 12-hour duty) to ₹1,000.

The average monthly salary of a police constable is around ₹30,000.

“The hike in the allowance will be a major boost for participation,” said additional director general of police, Home Guards and civil defence, Prashant Burde.

A senior official in the director general’s office told HT that low allowance has resulted in a shortfall of around 11,000 personnel in spite of a growing demand of volunteers. Unlike in states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, Home Guards are not regular forces in Maharashtra. Presently, the department has a total strength of 42,000 volunteers though there is a demand for 20,000 more.