NEW DELHI: Even as the 400 home guard jawans deployed with the Delhi Transport Corporation are yet to receive salaries for the last four months, the AAP government has proposed to hire around 8,000 more home guards for various vigilant duties across the capital.
The government is planning to induct 7,239 fresh home guards for various works in different departments and the Director General (Home Guards) JK Sharma has informed Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain that the process of recruitment has started.
Last year, AAP had threatened to protest outside the residences of the Lieutenant Governor, the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister demanding that 4,000 home guards be deployed in DTC buses as marshals. Earlier, the home guards were only engaged in Delhi Police work. The AAP government wanted home guards to deploy them as marshals in buses to ensure the safety of women.
In a meeting headed by Jain recently, Sharma said they had issued a notification regarding this and are also working on extending the engagement period from seven years to nine years.
The women home guards were relieved from their duties in 2012, and Sharma pointed out that they would work on a proper plan in case there’s any representation by the women guards. Strangely, 400 home guards, who were transferred to DTC from various government hospitals and were deployed as marshals, have not been paid salaries for the last four months. Sources said the tug-of-war between bureaucracy and AAP ministers have led to the situation. Sources also said the finance department has already given sanction for 12 months’ payment to DTC, along with an advance for three months. As per the procedure of deployment of home guards, three month advance payment is made to Director General (Home Guards).
The home guards are now apprehensive on joining the Delhi government assignment or not, even though Delhi home minister has directed to release the outstanding payment.
The AAP had promised to provide marshals on buses as a security measure for women. In total, the AAP government has planned to engage 11,000 marshals.