Village Defence Committee (VDC) members are facing tough times in far-flung areas of districts of Rajouri. Despite strengthening democratic system in militancy prone area of state, government failed to met their genuine demands for more than nine years. Ranjit Tara, Village Defiance Committee member of village Muradpur in district Rajouri had joined VDC nine years back but failed to receive a single penny in the name of salary or honorarium because of ignorance of administration towards poor villagers of far-flung area.
Being militancy prone area complexes with infiltrations, encounters and interagency operations every day the only trust worthy VDC members appointed by security agencies to defend themselves had been a subject of gross neglect. Defying AK-47 with British made weapons of single barrel guns several members had lost their precious lives in defending nation and its integration, as per sources.
“Weapons which we have received after joining were in pathetic conditions, however, ammunition dearth adds to miseries of members thus making us helpless”, said
District Development Commissioner (DDC), Rajouri Ghulam Mohmmad Khawja while clarifying said that there are some VDC members appointed by government in year 1996 to 2000 are being paid regularly. But there are certain members who also joined as volunteers to protect themselves are not entitled to salaries and allied facilities, he said adding that those people coincide themselves as VDC members which they are not logically.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Rajouri said that police did not take any services for VDC members but earlier they were paid. He said that police is only responsible for providing arms and ammunitions.
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