Centre approves village defence groups for J&K

Jammu, March 2

The Union Home Ministry has given a go-ahead to the Jammu and Kashmir administration to form village defence groups (VDGs) in the Union Territory that were earlier known as village defence committees (VDCs).

In a letter on ‘Revised Scheme of Village Defence Groups (VDGs) in J&K’, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated, “In more vulnerable areas, persons who shall be leading the village defence groups will be paid Rs 4,500 per month each and the other volunteers will be paid Rs 4,000 per month each. The VDGs will function under the direction of the SP/SSP of the concerned district.”

It further states that the revised scheme will, however, be made effective only after appraising the High Court.

VDC members in Jammu division had been agitating for long over delay in release of their wages and several other issues.

On Tuesday, an 11-member delegation of the J&K BJP had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raised the long pending issue.

“This will boost security grid in Jammu and Kashmir. Once a terrorist admitted in an interview of being scared of the VDCs,” said Sunil Sharma, general secretary of the J&K BJP.

According to Sunil Sharma, “Till now, many village defence committees have been non-functional or disbanded. Many members of such committees have resigned and returned weapons. They did so to be enrolled for availing the benefits under the BPL category.”

Police supervision

• The Union Home Ministry says the village defence groups will work under the SP/SSP of the districts concerned.
• Those heading such groups will get Rs4,500 and the volunteers will get Rs4,000 monthly.