SRINAGAR: After the wave of resignations by Special Police Officers (SPOs) following killing of three cops and militant threats to them in Kashmir, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday increased the remuneration of the SPOs substantially to prevent further resignations.
The proposal of the J&K government regarding enhancement of monthly remuneration of SPOs was considered and approved by the Home ministry within 48 hours. The State has about 30,000 SPOs and they were getting a monthly remuneration of Rs 5000- 6000.
According to the MHA order, the SPOs, who have less than 5 years of service, would be paid monthly remuneration of Rs 6000. "The SPOs, who have completed 5 years of service, will be paid Rs 9000 per month. Those SPOs, who have completed 15 years of service, will be paid Rs 12000 per month," reads the order.
The new scales of remuneration would be implementable with immediate effect. According to MHA 10967 SPOs would now get Rs 6000 per month, 10623 SPOs would draw a monthly salary of Rs 9000 and about 8411 SPOs would get monthly remuneration of Rs 12,000.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam had told reporters in Srinagar yesterday that the administration was mulling to increase the remuneration of the SPOs substantially. As per the existing scale, the SPOs who have rendered one year of service were being paid Rs 5000 remuneration per month, those who had rendered between 1 and 2 years of service were being paid Rs 5500 and those who had completed over 2 years were being paid Rs 6000 per month. The hike in remuneration is being seen as an attempt by the central and state governments to stem wave of resignations by SPOs in the strife-torn Valley.
Over two dozen SPOs including some female SPOs hailing from volatile south Kashmir have released videos and written statements on social media to announce their resignations from the police force. This followed abduction and killing of three policemen including two SPOs by militants in south Kashmir's Shopian district on September 21.
The militant group Hizbul Mujahideen's operational commander Riyaz Naikoo had warned the SPOs to resign or face "death". The Hizb militants recently released pictures of over a dozen SPOs, policemen and officials warning them to resign from their jobs or face "severe consequences"
.J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh said increase of remuneration would go a long way in boosting the morale of the SPOs engaged with the J&K Police. SPOs form vital component of J&K police anti-militancy operations. J&K police is taking lead role in the anti-militancy operation in the State.