Post ex-gratia relief hike, now J&K cops demand concession in airfare

Parity with Central Armed Forces

SUMIT SHARMA

JAMMU: A month after Ministry of Home Affairs brought in line with the Centre Armed forces, the total ex-gratia relief given to J&K Police personnel, a new demand for concession of airfare to the State cops at par with the army and other paramilitary forces has now been raised.
Official sources informed The News Now that the Jammu and Kashmir Police Personnel are likely to get airfare concessions at par with the Army and other paramilitary forces as a communiqué in this connection has been mooted to the Police Headquarters (PHQ) by the IGP Kashmir Munir Khan.
"For past thirty years, J&K Police is fighting shoulder to shoulder with Army and Para-military forces not only on militancy front, but also on L&O and crime aspects. J&K Police has donned the role of one of finest forces to fight counter Insurgency in J&K. The working conditions of our men on ground are even tougher as they are part of same society and fighting here on both L&O and militancy front," read the communiqué to DGP S P Vaid, a copy of which lies with The News Now.
Urging DGP to take up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Khan said that due to disturbed conditions, most of the JKP personnel have sent their children for education to other parts of country or to Jammu. Moreover, a large number of IPS officers are serving in the state whose families are also living in the rest of the country and in order to travel to Jammu or to other parts of the country to meet their families, these cops have to spent huge amount on Airfares, while the personnel of other forces like CRPF, Army, BSF etc are given Airfare concession.
Citing reason for concession in airfare, he said that the nature of duties performed by J&K Police is almost similar to that of other Forces, so J&K Police should also be extended benefit of discounted Airfares, so that they can also meet their wards/children and visit other parts of the country on the concessional Airfare rates.
Pertinently, on December 6, last year, the Centre, taking notice of demands of state government had approved its proposal for the enhancement of ex-gratia relief to Jammu and Kashmir police personnel. Post the hike, the next of kin (NoK) of the martyred cops would now get Rs 30 Lakh as ex gratia relief, thus paving way for the cops killed in militancy-related operations to get Rs 70 lakh as ex-gratia relief.