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Punjab: Majority of cops not paid March salary despite extended working hours
Contrary to this, Haryana government has announced double salary for the police personnel, who are frontline corona warriors
Even as the Haryana government has announced double salary for police personnel on the frontline in the battle against Covid-19, their counterparts in Punjab, who joined the force after 2004, are still awaiting their March salaries.
The families of the personnel of all ranks --from constable to probationary deputy superintendent of police (DSP), comprising around 60% of the force -- are running out of essential commodities. They said they have no alternative but to borrow money from their friends.
The officials, still on probation, are the worst hit. They are poorly paid and are getting only Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. But even this amount has not been released so far.
After 2004, the police department had recruited a large number of constables, ASIs and sub-inspectors.
The personnel said they have contacted the officials concerned to inquire about the delay in salaries, but the officers are making excuses of a glitch in the computer software, through which the department transfers salaries in the accounts of the personnel.
A constable said, “Due to lockdown, we are forced to work day and night, that too at a huge risk to our and our families’ lives. My parents, wife and son are dependent on me, as I am the only breadwinner of the family. We have already run out of grocery items and I have no money to buy anything. I had to borrow money from my friends.”
An inspector, who also joined the force after 2004, said, “We are working for 12 to 16 hours a day, but the department has not released their salaries yet. I had no choice, but to borrow money from a friend.”
A senior rank official of the police commissionerate said, “Salaries are released by the headquarters. The personnel continue to enquire daily and I keep on telling them that they will get salaries very soon, though I have no idea when the department will release their salaries.”
