Encouraging police personnel involved in anti-militancy operations, the Home Department has notified total strength of 2288 Special Operation Group (SOG) and 179 Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel and officials of Jammu and Kashmir Police who will get 12 percent hardship allowance.
In an order issued here Tuesday, the Home Department said that 2288 SOG personnel and BDS 179 personnel would get the hardship allowance as classified category of J&K Police in reference to the government order No 72-F of 2019 of 16 January 2019 and government order No Home-878 of 2019 dated 1 August 2019.
The Home Department order reads: “This issue is with the concurrence of Finance Department Conveyed vide UO No A/92 (2010)-PF-II816/J dated 29 October 2020.”
An order was issued by the Home Department in 2019 under order number 878 of 2019 in which the hardship allowance of the SOG and BDS personnel was increased by 2 percent on the revised pay scale but the total strength of personnel in the classified category has been notified on Tuesday.
“Sanction is accorded to the increase by 2 percent in the hardship allowance of J&K police personnel from the existing 8 percent to 10 percent of the basic pay in respect of all the ranks of J&K police personnel and from existing 10 percent to 12 percent of the basic pay in respect of classified category of J&K police including SOG and BDS with effect from 1 August 2019,” reads an order issued by Principal Secretary, Home, ShaleenKabra which was issued in 2019.
A senior Police officer said that the government had enhanced 2 percent hardship allowance in favour of SOG and BDS personnel due to the nature of their job.
“They deal with militancy and explosives in J&K and it involves a lot of risk to their lives. Therefore, the decision to enhance 2 percent hardship allowance was taken for these personnel,” said the officer.
“Police officials and personnel who are not part of SOG or BDS would get 10 percent hardship allowance,” he said.
Of the 2288 SOG personnel, seven are SP rank police officers, 44 DySPs, 18 Inspectors, 45 Sub-Inspectors, 88 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 287 Head Constables, 765 selection grade constables, 862 constables, and 172 followers.
Similarly, of the 179 Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel, 7 are Sub-Inspectors, 5 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 42 Head Constables, 79 selection grade constables, and 46 constables.