PANJIM: It’s been nearly two years that over a dozen platoons of Indian Reserve Battalion (Goa Armed Police) deployed on election duties across five States are waiting to get their Travel Allowance and Dearness Allowance from the State government.
While the outstanding amount of Rs 35 lakh approximately is pending, four platoons of the armed police have just recently been deployed in two districts of Maharashtra in view of general Assembly elections scheduled on October 21.
Exclusive details with Herald reveal that for the parliamentary election duty in Telangana, Karnataka and Punjab, seven contingents of around 600 staff – who returned after nearly two months of duty – have not received their allowances totaling Rs 17.63 lakh approx. Their back-to-back duty across the three States from March 28, 2019 to May 24, 2019 also saw some of them missing casting their votes in Goa.
As if this was not enough, another set of 90 personnel posted on duty for assembly elections in Tripura and Meghalaya from January 31, 2018 to March 6, 2018 have also not been paid, total sum of which is around Rs 16.56 lakh.
Herald has learnt that the personnel have been shelling out money from their own pockets with no support system from the department. “There is no fund allocation for overtime we are sent on election duty to other States. All expenses are from personal funds. For reimbursement, we have to submit bills of even a cup of tea whereas IRB units from other States don’t face this hardship. The amount is credited in their respective salary account,” said one of them posted on various election duties.
As the wait continues, the department has sent four companies (90 each) to nearby districts of Maharashtra as against Election Commission of India’s requisition for eight companies. The personnel, who were kept on standby for nearly a week, were on Tuesday sent to Maharashtra via road. Interestingly, the platoons were accommodated in the Maharashtra police vans that arrived in Goa especially to transport them to its State. It is learnt that these platoons have also not been granted advance funds for expenses during their poll duty.
Herald spoke to a senior officer who conceded the whopping amount is pending for payment and a proposal is submitted to the government for additional funds. “Since the poll duties are uncertain, budgetary allocation is usually not made. The IRB has sent a proposal to the government for additional funds in the State Budget under head travelling expenses. In the meantime, we will explore the possibility for utilising funds from different heads,” the officer said requesting anonymity.
