Raipur: In a boost to police jawans engaged in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, the state government has made a handsome hike in their salary and allowance.
The decision will benefit as many as 22,000 police jawans, including constables, assistant constables and 'Gopniya Sainik' (secret troops) deployed in the insurgency-hit region of the state especially Bastar division, Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters.
The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting here.
The hike will be applicable from July 1 onwards and it will cost the state exchequer Rs 121 crore annually.
"We are committed to ensure full facilities to our jawans fighting the menace of naxalism to boost their morale. We are ready to extend every possible assistance to them keeping in mind their welfare," Singh said.
Assistant Constables (former Special Police Officers) will draw a monthly salary of Rs 14,144 against Rs 8,990 earlier where as assistant constables and secret troops would be provided with insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh at par given to constables, he said.
So far they were being given insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.
Besides, ration allowance being given to jawans has also been increased.
While police constables will get Rs 2,000 as ration allowance against Rs 650 earlier, a jawan of state's Special Task Force (STF) will earn Rs 2,200 compared to the earlier Rs 1,200, after the approval of the new allowance, Singh said.
Similarly, the assistance constables and secret troops will get ration allowance of Rs 2,000, he added.
The jawans will now also get good quality shoes with state government's nod to hike the fund for it.
The jawans will receive shoes worth Rs 2,000 while bags worth Rs 1000 via concerned Superintendent of Police once in a year.
So far they were being given shoes costing Rs 500-700 each, he said.
Moreover, a 100-bed hospital will be constructed by Police Housing Corporation through public private partnership at a cost of Rs 12.50 crore at Jagdalpur district headquarter, the Chief Minister said.
