Home guards to get salary on par with constables in Uttarakhand

An exercise is being started to pay the same salary to the Home Guards posted in Uttarakhand as being received by the constables. The state government has to implement this decision within eight weeks following the Supreme Court’s decision. Due to this, the government has started preparing for it. It is also being seen how much burden this will put on the pocket of the government. However, along with this, there is also a discussion on contract workers from other departments. After this issue will be brought before the cabinet.

At present, more than six and a half thousand home guards are offering their services in various departments in the state. These departments include Police, Transport, Secretariat and Communications etc. Apart from maintaining the security system from these home guards, the work of security and class IV employees is being taken in the departments. Currently, they are paid an honorarium of Rs 450 per day. According to the rules made for Home Guards, when serving as an assistant to the police, they are given the same rights and facilities as the police.

Nearly three years ago, the Supreme Court, in an order, gave a decision to give equal pay to the Home Guards. Some states followed suit and some did not take any decision on it. On this, the Home Guards took refuge in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court has asked the other states including Uttarakhand, who were parties in this case, to comply with the decision within eight weeks. It also said that the increased honorarium should be given from 25 April 2017.

Till now the government was waiting for this decision to come. Now an exercise is being started on this. If sources are to be believed, the government is also collecting information about the nature of work of all these home guards. For example, who is serving in which departments? Accordingly, their honorarium will be fixed. However, the process will take some time to complete. The reason is that once its proposal is ready, it will be presented before law and finance department. After this, the approval will be brought to the cabinet.