Special Police Officers (SPOs), who play a key role in Jammu and Kashmirās security operations, said on Thursday that they perform a range of duties for the police but earn meagre salaries and receive no retirement benefits.The SPOs with less than five years of service take home ā¹6,000 per month; those with five yearsā service get ā¹9,000 per month, and SPOs with 15 years or more of service get ā¹15,000 to ā¹18,000 per month. (PTI/ Representative)The killing of two missing SPOs ā Rashpal Kumar, 45, and Babbi Chand, 57 ā in the upper reaches of Dachhan has once again brought the personnelās working conditions into focus.SPOs perform law and order duties, take part in counter-insurgency operations and also don the role of domestic help to senior police officers. But contrary to the post, they take home a paltry sum of ā¹6,000 to ā¹ 18,000 a month.The SPOs with less than five years of service take home ā¹6,000 per month; those with five yearsā service get ā¹9,000 per month, and SPOs with 15 years or more of service get ā¹15,000 to ā¹18,000 per month.However, it may be stated that the government has revised the compensation to ā¹5 lakh for the next of kin of an SPO killed in action or a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.Apart from ā¹5 lakh compensation, the families of SPOs are also eligible for additional support through contributory welfare funds and insurance.What SPOs sayShashi Kumar, a VDC SPO, said: āAfter 2016, there is a proper recruitment of the SPOs, but when militancy was at its peak, there was no hard and fast rule, and anyone who wanted to become an SPO could join the police force.āāToday, the aspirants have to undergo physical tests and their educational qualifications are also considered.
They undergo proper weapons training, but the government provides them a fixed amount of salary depending upon the years of service they have put in,ā Kumar added.Kumar recalled that in March 2022, the union home ministry approved a revised scheme replacing VDCs (village defence committees) with newly structured Village Defence Groups (VDGs).Though the decision was aimed at reviving dormant village defence networks, streamlining direct honorarium payments, and addressing long-standing administrative issues, those with 15 or more years of service as VDC SPOs felt violated because the government decided to provide all VDC members, including SPOs, ā¹4,500 each.Since then, the aggrieved VDC SPOs have moved the J&K and Ladakh high court, challenging the home ministry order.āI had put up more than 15 years of my life as an SPO, and my salary was ā¹18000. How could an SPO like me accept ā¹4500 a month?ā said Kumar.He stated that since the matter has been sub judice before the High Court since 2022-23, nothing has been paid to the VDC SPOs, who number around 2300.āSPOs are used into all sorts of work..into law and order, CI operations and attending the offices and homes of the police officers.
Before the High Court, we are seeking our regularisation because we were engaged with VDCs to combat terrorists. The home ministry order rechristening VDCs as VDGs and fixing ā¹4500 a month to each one of us was arbitrary and unjustified,ā said Kumar.āWe still have weapons and ammunition, perform our duties with the VDGs, but no salaries are being paid to us,ā he said.SPOs in J&K are typically issued standard rifles such as the INSAS, SLRs, and .303 rifles.Kumar claimed that a single-bench decision of the high court was given in favour of VDC SPOs.āThe DB today held another hearing.
It has sought data of VDC SPOs from the home department, which has not been provided till date. November 19 has been fixed as the next date of hearing,ā he said.He further said that combating battle-hardened terrorists for ā¹6000 to ā¹18000 a month makes no sense, but still they put their lives on the line.āOn our retirement we get nothing except a few flower garlands around our necks,ā he rued.