Srinagar, Oct 9: Around 32,000 Special Police Officers (SPOs) serving in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to receive a significant increase in their monthly remuneration, with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) having sent a proposal to the Union Ministry of Finance for approval, according to an Excelsior report.
The proposal was initiated by the MHA following recommendations from the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the J&K Police, which have highlighted the role of SPOs in anti-terror operations and other policing duties. The MHA has agreed to the proposed salary enhancement and is also considering additional allowances, including hardship-related benefits, along with other facilities for the SPOs.
The proposal has been forwarded to the Finance Ministry as it involves substantial annual financial implications, and approval is expected soon, according to the report. Orders are likely to be issued thereafter.
At present, SPOs receive between Rs 6,000 and Rs 18,000 per month, depending on their length of service. Their contribution to anti-terror operations and other important policing duties has been acknowledged, with several SPOs having been killed or injured while performing their duties.
Around 32,000 SPOs are currently serving across J&K Police, including in remote, hilly and terror-affected areas. Besides the proposed salary increase, the MHA is also considering allowances that would further enhance their overall remuneration.
The salary revision has been pursued by the J&K administration and Police Department with the MHA for some time. According to the report, the MHA finalised the proposal after obtaining details and recommendations from the UT administration.
The proposed increase is expected to be substantial rather than marginal, with the additional allowances likely to further improve the overall benefits available to SPOs.
The J&K administration and Police Department have already introduced several welfare measures for SPOs, including reservation in regular police recruitment and extension of other benefits available to police personnel. However, their comparatively low remuneration has remained a concern that the latest proposal seeks to address.
The development comes ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Jammu, where he is expected to inaugurate the high-security Mahanpur jail in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. An announcement regarding the salary enhancement could be made during his visit or from New Delhi after the proposal receives final approval.
The Central Government had, a couple of years ago, assumed full financial responsibility for the J&K Police, with its expenditure being incorporated into the grants of the MHA. For the financial year 2026-27, the J&K Police has been allocated Rs 9,925.50 crore, up from the revised estimate of Rs 9,097 crore for 2025-26.
