Imphal, November 09 2008: THE HOPE of Home Guard personnel getting enhance allowances with time is likely to come to a reality as Manipur government is considering a proposal for hiking the allowances as recommended by a committee constituted to look into the existing allowances paid on them.

A total of 2318 home guard personnel are assisting the civil police in maintaining public orders in city and town areas are paying only Rs.2,500 per month which is at the rate of Rs.85 per day without any extra duty allowances.

"We are not enjoying any extra allowances even though authorities utilize them over time as like that of the civil police even though we are imparting duty not less than that of a unarmed civil police," said a Home Guard personnel who wanted to omit her name.

These Home Guard personnel are utilizing in the manner like that of civil unarmed police at time people riots, protests etc.

which are very frequent in the trouble torn state.

They are also assisting traffic police.

Apart from this, they are deploying to assist police in guarding at government installations and hospitals from anti�social elements and extortionists who are targeting government officials and staffs most importantly.

"But authorities have been neglecting them by not implementing an agreed demand of revising the rate of allowances by the state government to suit with time some two years back after we launched agitations, the woman home guard who has been serving for more than 10 years said.

During her more than 10 years service, she said only once the allowance had revised from the then Rs.1000 per month (at the rate of Rs.30 per day) to the existing rate of Rs.2500 per month (at the rate of Rs.85 per day).

Following government order to look into the demand of hiking the monthly allowance, a committee was constituted by the commandant general, Home Guards to examine the amount of allowances paid to the home guards personnel in comparison to the personnel of the neighbouring states as well as other states in India and also taking in account the amount of salaries paid to grade-IV employees under the Manipur government.

The committee submitted the recommendation to enhance the salary of the home guard personnel to Rs.4,450 per head for a month of 30 days (duty allowance Rs 100 per head per day, messing allowance Rs 500 per head per month, transportation allowance Rs 30 per head per day, washing allowance Rs.50 per head per month) around a year back.

While submitting the recommendation, a statement indicating the pay and other allowances of grade-IV employee under the state government, the existing allowances paid by the neighbouring states and other states of India, cost price on fooding of a four member family as well as minimum wage per head for working eight hours a day fixed by the labour department were also included, an official said.

Failure on the part of the Manipur government to convert into work, the commandant general, Home Guards has re-submitted a proposal to the state home department for revision of the existing allowances paid to the Home Guards personnel, the source said.

State home department has put up a proposal regarding the hiking of the allowances for consideration in the Cabinet meeting with the detail of the financial implication which to be incur.

A decision regarding the matter is likely to take soon, the source said.

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