The Diplomat Desk
JAMMU :TDD,A protest led by Ajit Singh, Chairman of the Non-Gazetted Police Pension- ers Welfare Forum, was held at Hari Singh Park, Jammu, to address significant grievances of J&K Retired Police Pensioners and Fire Services personnel.
The protest highlighted long- standing issues related to pay anomalies, healthcare, wel- fare benefits, and recognition of achievements, urging the government to act swiftly and justly.
One of the primary demands raised was the retrospective implementation of Govt. Order No. 229F of 2014. The forum stressed that the pay anomaly correction should be applied from 1996, the year the 5th Pay Commission recommendations were implemented across the state. Unfortunately, the Police Department was excluded from this correction at the time. Many affected personnel have since passed away, and the surviving pensioners deserve to be compen- sated for the years of injustice. The protesters also demanded that healthcare facilities for J&K police personnel be brought on par with those pro- vided to paramilitary forces. They called for the introduction of the Ex-Servicemen Contrib- utory Health Scheme (ECHS) card to ensure affordable and accessible medical care for retired police personnel and their families.
To support the families of police personnel, the forum urged the government to implement a 10% reservation in professional colleges and recruitment processes for their children. This would provide a much-needed boost to the wel- fare and future of police families. Additionally, they called for the immediate release of pending Deamess Allowance (DA) installments to help alleviate financial hardships faced by retirees and state employees.
The forum emphasized the need for the state government to adopt the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for the Police Department, in line with the central govern- ment ordinance implemented for the armed forces. Such a move would ensure equitable treatment for all ranks in their post-retirement benefits.
Another pressing issue raised was the delayed sala- ries of Special Police Officers (SPOs), which has caused financial strain on these per- sonnel. The forum demanded that SPOs receive their sala- ries on time and according to a proper schedule. Additionally, they highlighted the achieve- ment of Manpreet Singh, an SPO who won a gold medal in the World Strength Lifting Championship held in Kazakhstan in July 2024. The forum called for his recognition and appropriate rewards to encourage excellence among the force.
The protest shed light on these unresolved issues. urging the J&K government to address them without delay. The demands represent not only financial and professional justice but also the recognition and welfare that these personnel deserve for their dedicated service to the region.TDD
