Salary delay forces cops to be austere

Meagre advance

Owing to the delay in salary, most of the police personnel have either borrowed for festival expenditure or availed advance given for the occasion from the department, forcing them to practice austerity.

Sources told Deccan Herald, of 70 to 80 police personnel in a station (maximum strength) this is the story of over half the staff- they have nothing more than to bemoan. In case of women staff, it varies.

The reasons for the delay in salary, according to the sources allegedly is skeletal staff in the pay section at the office of police commissioner. According to the procedure, whenever there is any festival, salary is credited into the respective accounts a few days in advance. What went wrong this time is, the festivals falling at the end of the month when banks too remain closed. As a result, salary is expected to be credited on September 2, said another.

For those who want advance, they have to apply for the same a fortnight in prior, as is the procedure. The maximum advance paid is Rs 3,000, which will be repaid in 10 months. “When the prices of essential commodities have sky rocketed and the festivals demand big shopping for families- especially for women folk, the advance is still meagre.

Though borrowing from others alleviates their woes, still it’s far from relief as in some cases interest is paid for the principal”, said a police constable on condition of anonymity.

Every station has to send the statement of the previous month to the pay section within the 10th of the current month. For example-the statement of July that comprises- working days, attendance and leave among other mandatory columns has been sent to pay section before August 10.

Based on this, those in the respective section will verify the statement from 10th to 20th, considered as hectic period for those in the department concerned. Eventually, it will be forwarded to the treasury and salary is credited either at the month end or first of the next month.