The Centre on Wednesday approved an increase in the honorarium of Special Police Officers in Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI. A Ministry of Home Affairs order said that SPOs who have less than five years of service will be paid Rs 6,000 per month while those who have completed five years will get Rs 9,000 per month.
SPOs who have finished 15 years of service will draw a honorarium of Rs 15,000 per month. The ministry said the new scales of remuneration will come into effect immediately.
An unidentified official working in the Ministry of Home Affairs said that at present, SPOs who have rendered one year of service were being paid Rs 5,000 per month. Those who have rendered between one and two years of service earn Rs 5,500 per month and those who have completed more than two years get Rs 6,000 per month. The ministry passed the order following a recommendation from the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The Centre’s move comes in the wake of resignations of several SPOs after suspected militants abducted and murdered three policemen in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on September 21. The Jammu and Kashmir government said on Tuesday that the number of such resignations was “negligible” and “restricted to certain areas of South Kashmir”.
State Chief Secretary Subrahmanyam had said that all SPOs have been instructed about their safety, and assured that the government was in the process of increasing their honorarium.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!