Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: Retired police pensioners and J&K Fire Services personnel staged a protest at Hari Singh Park, Jammu, under the leadership of Ajit Singh, demanding rectification of pay anomalies and pension-related issues.
The protestors highlighted disparities in the implementation of Government Order Number 229-F of 2014, arguing that its benefits should have been granted retrospectively from 1996 when the 5th Pay Commission was implemented.
They urged authorities to extend the ECH Card benefits to all retirees, including those who retired before 2019.
The protesters also raised concerns about the plight of ex-service policemen facing legal trials and being called as witnesses without adequate travel and daily allowances.
They demanded higher wages for Special Police Officers (SPOs), equal to their counterparts in Punjab, along with uniform and ration allowances similar to regular police personnel.
Additionally, they called for fair benefits for Village Defence Committee (VDC) members who have served in critical security roles.
Citing pension-related delays, the demonstrators criticized the slow processing of pension papers and completion of formalities, leaving retirees financially vulnerable.
They demanded timely disbursement of leave salary, gratuity, and other benefits, pointing out that some pensioners had been waiting for over a year.
They also urged the implementation of court orders from Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu High Court regarding the reduction of the commutation period for pensions from 15 years to 10 years.
The pensioners further highlighted the non-release of the 3% Dearness Allowance (DA) hike announced by the Central Government for July 2024.
They also protested the disparity between the Union Territories, as Leh UT had already received the DA hike for January 2025, while J&K UT had not.
Similarly, while Leh UT increased its Medical Allowance to Rs 1,000, J&K UT’s allowance remained at Rs 300.
The protesters called on the Government to address these discrepancies and ensure equal treatment for all retirees.
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