The Rising Peoples’ Party (RPP) has urged the NDPP-BJP government to review the decision to reduce the Travel Allowance/Dearness Allowance (TA/DA) for uniformed police personnel on election duty outside the state from Rs. 1500/- to Rs. 550/- per day. According to the party, the state Finance Department outlined this reduction in the department’s notification dated April 9, 2024.
“As per sources, the previous rate of Rs. 1500/- was not supposed to be this ‘high’ since accommodation, transportation, and ration are already taken care of by the state government. Therefore, it seems the Finance Department rectified the ‘anomaly’ by bringing the amount down to Rs. 550/-,” the RPP stated.
Regardless of the Finance Department’s justification, the RPP strongly urged the state government to review its decision. For nearly three months, four battalions of police officers have been deployed across India for election duties in extreme heat, resulting in the deaths of three personnel. The RPP argued that the reduced allowance of Rs. 550/- per day cannot cover the daily expenses incurred by jawans, who have to buy bottled water and sundries and sometimes source nutritious food for themselves given the quality of food provided at the mess.
The RPP labeled the revised allowance as “inhuman” and “unjustifiable.” “While Finance Department bureaucrats sitting in the office may make easy talk regarding 1500/- or 550/-, the circumstance of election duty in sweltering heat for several months while carrying out one’s duty responsibly is no mean task,” the party said, demanding that the issue be rectified before the jawans return home.
The RPP demanded that the previous amount of Rs. 1500 per day be restored and that the jawans be paid this amount ex post facto with immediate effect. Additionally, they called for an investigation into the working conditions of the deployed officers and proposed a compensation of at least Rs. 10 lakhs for the families of the deceased personnel.
“If the same NDPP/BJP coalition can sanction the colossal amount of Rs. 52 crore to build a new stage and amphitheater at Kisama to commemorate 25 years of the Hornbill festival – a task almost unnecessary whereby the old building/rostrum is to be broken down completely for a new Vanity Project – why is it so difficult for this coalition government to show some compassion?” asked the RPP.