Dy CM's home distt among four left hanging as MHA freezes engagement of SPOs

TNN Bureau. Updated: 9/22/2017 1:17:34 AM Front Page

SUMIT SHARMA

JAMMU: Amidst the ongoing blame-game between the police authorities and respective district administrations over the engagements of Special Police Officers (SPOs), the fate of the youth aspiring for the post of SPOs from four districts in Jammu including Deputy Chief minister's home district is left in uncertainty as Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has put a freeze on aforesaid engagement in Jammu and Kashmir.
The MHA's decision has come to fore when around 4000 SPOs were to be recruited in Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Sameer Rekhi AIG (Trg/Pol) in Police Headquarters (PHQ), when contacted by the News Now told that the recruitment in four districts of Jammu was yet to be held when the new decision from MHA came in.
Meanwhile authoritative sources said while the recruitment of SPOs was held in the entire Kashmir, the same was yet to held in four districts of Jammu region viz. Samba, Kathua, Kishtwar and Reasi.
The MHA's directives came after some MLAs in BJP and leaders in opposition parties lodged complaint with the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the appointments of SPOs were being made in alleged violation of the rules and purely on the political recommendations.
Following the complaints Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed the state government to put a cap on the ongoing procedure in making any such engagements from now onwards.
However, the order has resulted into start of blame game within political circle and also within JKP and revenue department.
Shifting blames, the police authorities accused the respective District Commissioners, who have been appointed as Chairman for the recruitment process, for their dilly dallying approach whereas revenue department, however, observed silence over the issue.
Pertinently the Union Home Ministry had approved recruitment of additional 10,000 Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the wake of reports which suggested that thousands of Kashmiri youths have opted for SPO job defying a call of Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani to boycott the recruitment rallies organized for it.
The Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also took up the matter of unemployed youth and laid stress on the issue with the Union Government.
Officially an SPO initially draw a salary of Rs 5,000 per month, Rs 5,300 after completion of one year and Rs 6,000 after completion of three years. The reimbursement of expenditure to the state government by the Centre in respect of 10,000 SPOs would be as per existing approved Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Guidelines.


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