Bhubaneswar: Displeased with the amount of hike in their duty call-up allowance, home guards Saturday threatened to cease work from January 15. In addition, they have decided to sit on a dharna with their family members in front of the Assembly if their demands are not conceded by the government.
This was announced by the Rajya Gruha Rakshi Mahasgha (RGRM) at a press meet held at the Nehru Institute of Youth Affairs here, Saturday. Earlier, the government hiked the home guards’ daily remuneration from Rs 240 to Rs 300. However, the home guards are not happy with the increase of a ‘paltry’ sum of Rs 60 and, thus, gave an ultimatum to strike work if their remuneration hike is not revised.
“All the 18,000 home guards in the state will go on leave en masse from January 15 and sit in front of the Assembly indefinitely till the government increases our pay at par with the constables as per the a judgement of the apex court,” Upendra Mahapatra, president of RGRM, said.
The RGRM has also appealed to the government for reappointment of all home guards who were removed from their jobs ‘unjustifiably’ after the organisation’s agitation in March 2013.Despite the assurance by the then DCP to give them preference during fresh appointments, nearly half of them are still awaiting a call. Courts have already struck out the charges leveled against them, Mahapatra said.
While hearing a contempt case, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had ordered the state governments to pay home guards according to the “basic pay+ grade pay+ dearness allowances + washing allowances” formulae, he added.
PNN