Recently, a single judge bench of the Orissa High Court while expressing deep concern about abysmally low allowances directed the State to consider raising allowances of Grama Rakhis who get a very meagre allowance for discharging their vital duties.
Brief Facts:
The case is in respect of the Petitioners, who are Grama Rakhis serving in various districts of Odisha, earning a meager salary of Rs.800/- per month. The Petitioners argued that their duties are similar to those of government employees and encompass a wide range of responsibilities, including crime prevention, intelligence gathering, and assistance in police operations. Despite their extensive duties, the Petitioners claimed their allowances were insufficient and sought a revision of their pay to match that of Home Guards. The present writ petitions were filed to compel the State Government to enhance their allowances accordingly.
Observations of the Court:
The Hon’ble Court observed with serious concern the abysmally low allowances granted to the Grama Rakhis, acknowledging their integral role in the ‘community policing system’ of the State.
Despite these observations, the Court deemed it appropriate to leave the decision regarding the enhancement of allowances to the appropriate government authorities. The Bench directed the petitioners to approach the concerned department to voice their grievances, instructing the department to consider a decent allowance structure for the Grama Rakhis in light of their diverse and multitasking job profile. The department was further ordered to make a decision on the allowances within three months from the date of presentation of the order.
The decision of the Court:
The Court, noting all the facts and circumstances of the case, dismissed the writ petitions, refraining from passing any order to fix the allowances of the Grama Rakhis by way of mandamus.