Odisha increases allowances for civil defence volunteers, home guards
Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Friday increased allowances for civil defence volunteers and home guards, as per the chief minister's office (CMO).
"Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announces a hike of the civil defence volunteers' daily duty allowance from Rs 31 to Rs 150.
Their training allowance has been increased to Rs 140 from Rs 28.
These revised rates will take effect from May 1, 2025. Similarly, home guards' daily duty allowance has been elevated to Rs 623 from Rs 612, effective from January 1, 2025," a statement from the CMO said.
The chief minister hopes a growth in civil defence wing membership following the allowance revision. "Odisha currently has less than 700 active civil defence volunteers.
With the allowance increment, the chief minister expressed hope that the number of volunteers will grow, enhancing the state's emergency preparedness network," the CMO's statement said.
TOI highlighted civil defence volunteers' pay issues on May 7, amidst the Centre's initiative to bolster the wing nationwide following recent Ind-Pak tension.
"We are glad that the govt increased our duty and training allowances.
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Despite the enhancement in our pay, we are still the lowest paid volunteers in the country. Tripura's civil defence volunteers get Rs 200 per day whereas Delhi pays the highest Rs 732 daily," stated a civil defence volunteer anonymously.
The govt affirmed its commitment to strengthening the civil defence wing. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently made a public appeal, urging youths to join the civil defence wing.
Majhi also directed the expansion of civil defence units beyond the present 12 districts.
For the first time, a six-day training programme was organised for them in Bhubaneswar on June 1, where NDRF experts imparted lessons in various domains, including psychological warfare, essential service maintenance, community drills, evacuation procedures, and protection against nuclear, biological and chemical threats.
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