Pay of home guards hiked by Rs 60 a day

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Friday increased the remuneration of home guards, who work as auxiliary force of Odisha police.
Home department sources said duty call-up allowance of the home guards has been hiked to Rs 300 per day from Rs 240. The state has over 15,000 home guards, who are paid as on per day basis. "We had sent a proposal recently to hike their duty call-up allowance. The government was pleased to increase it," said a senior police officer.

The development, however, did not cheer the home guards. "We are not happy with the meagre hike of Rs 60 a day. We have been demanding Rs 620 a day," said Upendra Mohapatra, president of Odisha Home Guards Association (Bhubaneswar). Home guards said they have been neglected by the government though they work like police personnel.

"We are deployed during emergencies and are our duties are similar to that of police constables. But we are not paid like police personnel. We had staged demonstrations several times and requested the government to pay us a decent salary," another home guard said.

Director general of police (fire service and home guards) B K Sharma said steps are being taken to hone the professional skills of home guards, who are an integral part of state police. "We are going to organise a series of training programmes for them from January where the home guards will be taught firefighting skills and rescue operations. Though it is a voluntary force, we will instill a sense of professionalism in them," Sharma said. He said home guards will soon be given better uniforms and shoes.