Austerity drive leads to security review in J-K

A high level screening committee meeting is being held later this month to review the security of the politicians in Jammu and Kashmir.

While the Congress party has taken a lead in Jammu and Kashmir by asking its MPs,legislators and corporators to contribute 20 per cent of their salary to the central exchequer as part of UPA government’s austerity measures,in Jammu and Kashmir a high level screening committee meeting is being held later this month to review the security of the politicians with police complaining that many of them draw extra security unauthorised at the cost of state exchequer.

According to officials the screening committee meeting which is to be headed by Director General of police,Kuldeep Khoda,is being held after Eid to review the security of the politicians. Officials said that the meeting is scheduled by the end of this month and it will have the officials from Intelligence Bureau and other security agencies as well.

The meeting is coming at a time when the officials in the security wing of the police pointed out to top brass of the police that the politicians are drawing security in excess to what they have been authorised.

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According to officials in the security wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police,they have brought it to the notice of the government that politicians from all major political parties were drawing the security and vehicles in excess to what they are authorised.

Sources said that the security wing of the police which is exclusively meant for the security of protected persons also issues the guidelines for the maintenance of the security of the protected persons. However while the security wing has issued the guidelines for the maintenance of the security of the people in the five listed categories of Z+,Z,Y,X and X-2,officials said that such guidelines were rarely followed.

According to officials people in the Z+ category have to be provided two personal security officers round the clock,2 watchers,armed guard at residence and office,one bullet proof vehicle,an access control team,and an escort of 6 police personnel. However,people in this category get a heavy security cover with at least 6-7 vehicles in their cavalcade.

Officials say that people in the other Z category have to be provided besides security at the residence,two personal security officers (PSOs)round the clock and only a police escort of three police personnel. However,they add that the security drawn in this category as in the other categories of Y,X and X-2 was much more.

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People in the X category have to be provided with a round the clock security by two personal security officers (PSOs) with one of them wielding an automatic weapon and another with a small arm. People in the X category have to be provided with one PSO and those in the X-2 category have to be provided also with only one PSO.

But while the PSO of the people in the X category will remain attached with the protected persons round the year,in case of X-2 category it will remain provided within a particular district only. However,people in these categories were drawing much more than was admissible.

However Inspector General of security wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police,B Srivasan,was not available for comment.