MP Bhardwaj urges Shah to hike SPO honorarium
Kangra Lok Sabha MP Rajiv Bhardwaj met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday and raised several pressing issues concerning his parliamentary constituency, particularly the sensitive border areas of Chamba district.
During the meeting, Bhardwaj brought up the 1998 Shatrundi massacre in Chamba, where 46 people were brutally killed by militants. In the aftermath, the Centre had recruited 520 local youths as Special Police Officers (SPOs) to support security forces along the interstate border between Chamba and Jammu & Kashmir.
He informed the minister that these SPOs were initially paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,500, which was increased to Rs 3,000 in 2006. Currently, they receive Rs 6,000 per month from the Centre. Bhardwaj urged the Home Minister to raise this amount to Rs 20,000 per month, pointing out that SPOs in Haryana receive Rs 18,000, while those in Jammu & Kashmir get Rs 20,000. He appealed for parity, citing Chamba’s proximity to militancy-prone regions and its strategic importance.
The MP also demanded the establishment of a permanent paramilitary training centre in the tribal region of Chamba to strengthen security infrastructure. Additionally, he invited Amit Shah to visit the Kangra-Chamba parliamentary constituency.
Speaking to The Tribune, Bhardwaj said the Home Minister patiently listened to his concerns and assured him that the demands would be considered sympathetically.
