The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Policemen sore over ‘paltry’ uniform washing allowance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Policemen sore over ‘paltry’ uniform washing allowance

Chitra V. Ramani

While IPS officials get Rs. 150, non-IPS get Rs. 100 a month

Uniform allowance was increased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 a month recently
It will cost around Rs. 300 to maintain three sets of uniforms

Bangalore: Nagaraja V. spends all day directing traffic at the busy M.G. Road-Kamaraj Road junction. At the end of his shift, his uniform is covered with dust and soot. To keep his uniform tidy, he spends close to Rs. 300 a month. However, what he gets as kit maintenance or uniform washing allowance is a paltry sum of Rs. 100 a month.

Though the allowance was increased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 recently, officials in the department term it “ridiculous”, given the nature of the job. A Government Order issued on December 11 increased the allowance given to police personnel across the State to maintain their uniforms. The allowance is applicable to all non-IPS police officials. IPS officials get Rs. 150 a month from the Centre.

With the cost of living spiralling, many police officials argue that the allowance is a pittance. According to a conservative estimate, it will cost anywhere between Rs. 200 and Rs. 300 to maintain three sets of uniforms. Police officials said that those in the lower cadres were likely to feel the pinch more. “As it is, the salary of the police personnel is paltry. We are taught to be disciplined in every aspect. Donning clean, ironed uniforms is less the norm. When that is the case, the uniform maintenance allowance should be increased,” a top IPS official, told The Hindu.

Radhika Murthy, a constable, said that Rs. 100 was too little a sum to maintain their uniforms. “We are from the lower cadre. We cannot possibly say anything against the order. We have to be satisfied with whatever we get,” she added.

Meena R., constable, said, “We dare not say that the sum is little. We have been given much less. If we raise our voices, it will surely affect our future in the police force. It is only because of fear of that there is no disagreement towards such notifications,” she added. Head constable Hanumanthaiah Swamy said that the problems of the lower cadre officials were not understood by the seniors. “We cannot ask for anything. We are supposed to be satisfied with whatever comes our way. We are the disciplinary staff and are forbidden to raise objections,” he added.

It is learnt that during the tenure of S. Bangarappa as Chief Minister, the uniform washing allowance was raised from a measly Rs. 7 to Rs. 14, which was further increased to Rs. 30 by H.D. Deve Gowda. “After a while, the allowance was raised to Rs. 50 and now it has been increased to Rs. 100. But it makes no difference to us. These things are beyond our control,” said K.M. Devraj, a constable.

(All names have been changed to protect identity)

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