In a welcome move for employees, the Uttarakhand Revenue Council has proposed an increase in the honorarium for village guards and watchmen across several districts in Uttarakhand. This decision comes as a boon for these workers who have long advocated for a raise in their honorarium.
Proposal Sent by Revenue Council
According to sources, the Uttarakhand Police Department oversees the deployment of village guards and revenue department manages the posting of village watchmen. Currently, there are around seven thousand guards, including over eighteen hundred village watchmen, who have been demanding an increase in their honorarium for a considerable time. In January, amidst the Lok Sabha elections, the Revenue Council had sent a proposal demanding a hike in the honorarium for village guards and watchmen to Rs. 2000. However, no decision was made on this proposal at that time.
Request for Reconsideration
Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Revenue Council’s Commissioner and Secretary have once again urged the Principal Secretary of Revenue to reconsider the proposal. This time, the demand is to increase the honorarium to Rs. 4000 per month. It’s worth noting that previously, the honorarium for village guards and watchmen was Rs. 1200, which was raised to Rs. 2000 during the tenure of Chief Minister Teerath Singh Rawat’s government. If the honorarium is doubled now, the state will bear an additional burden of approximately 5 crore rupees.
Who Are Village Guards and Watchmen
Village guards and watchmen are entrusted with various responsibilities in villages, including providing information about various government schemes or disseminating information. The duty of village watchmen and guards extends to ensuring the security and well-being of the village. Currently, there are about 7000 such employees across the state, including around 2100 village watchmen. They are currently receiving an honorarium of Rs. 2000, and the demand is to increase it to Rs. 4000.
The proposal to increase the honorarium for village guards and watchmen in Uttarakhand reflects a positive step towards recognizing the invaluable contributions of these employees. As the state government considers this proposal, it remains to be seen how it will impact the livelihoods of these essential workers and contribute to their well-being.