Scheme benefit extended to Home guard retirees
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 17 2024:
For the second time, financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each under the Home Guard Welfare Scheme was disbursed to 44 retired Home guard personnel, including families of three deceased members, in a programme jointly organised by Manipur Home Guard Employees' Welfare Association and Welfare Scheme Committee, on Sunday at MSFDS auditorium, Palace Compound.
The programme was attended by Punjab National Bank (PNB), Gandhi Avenue senior general manager Kshetrimayum Deepak, manager Thit Prou, employees' association president Y Mangi Singh, vice presidents P Chadrakumar and S Prabhabati Devi, battalion commanders and in-charges of 6 districts.
Speaking on the occasion, Association's general secretary Kh Inaobi Devi informed that personnel of home guards have been contributing no less than their other uniform service counterparts since its formation some 60 years back in-spite of being a minor department and salary not commensurate with cost of living.
She further informed that the salary scale had been enhanced and living conditions of the personnel improved to some extent, mainly due to support and initiative of the association.
As there is no benefit post-retirement, the association floated the Home Guard Welfare Scheme in 2022 for which Rs 500 each is deducted from the monthly salary of the personnel and deposited in bank in order to provide financial help to home guard personnel after superannuation.
In all, 20 personnel availed benefits of the scheme in 2023, the secretary said, adding that number of scheme beneficiaries increased from 552 in the first phase to 918 in the second.
During distribution function for the second phase, 44, including for the three deceased personnel were provided Rs 1 lakh each, she said.
Stating that the home guard personnel joined the scheme voluntarily, Kh Inaobi Devi appealed to the personnel to maintain adequate bank balance in order to avoid issues at the time of deduction for depositing in the bank.