By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: Alleging malafide intent behind the manner in which Home Guard volunteers were hired, removed and replaced, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mukul Sangma has demanded an inquiry into the alleged arbitrary practices in their engagement, while accusing the government of violating constitutional guarantees of equality and equal opportunity in employment.
Speaking during a cut motion discussion in the Assembly on Friday, Sangma stressed that even small acts of unfairness mattered greatly to the state’s youth who were already running from pillar to post for jobs. The LoP also criticised the government for deploying untrained volunteers in sensitive roles like traffic management and fire services.
He warned that such negligence not only compromised efficiency but also endangered lives. Pointing to global examples of fire disasters worsened by climate change, he underlined the urgent need to equip the fire department with modern equipment and ensure that volunteers received proper training before being put on duty.
He argued that overlooking these realities amounted to disregard for both constitutional provisions and public safety.
Earlier, TMC legislator from Ampati, Miani D Shira, flagged the recurring grievances of volunteers who complained of not receiving salaries on time.
She sought clarification from the government on whether the supplementary demand for payment of wages covered a few months, the current financial year, or arrears from previous years. Shira also questioned the lack of transparency in the deployment process, saying volunteers deserved clarity on how assignments to the police, traffic and fire services were being made.
VPP chief and Nongkrem legislator, Ardent M Basaiawmoit, who also supported the cut motion, said the irregular payment of wages had reduced the volunteers to an inhumane situation.
He pointed out that most came from rural areas, survived on just Rs 600 a day, and still had to pay rent, buy food, and support families.
He added that volunteers were denied holidays, with wages being deducted even when they fell sick, which amounted to stripping them of their basic rights as workers. He urged the government to intervene and ensure fair treatment, noting that many were forced to stay on in the job only because of the lack of other employment opportunities.
The opposition demanded urgent action, warning that neglecting the home guard volunteers was not only unjust but also dangerous for the state, given their frontline role in traffic management, firefighting, and other critical services.
Govt clears air over delayed wages
The prolonged problem of delayed wages for home guard volunteers was largely due to the absence of a budget head for their payments, the state government clarified.
Participating in the cut motion, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma explained that since they were volunteers deployed by the police, traffic and fire departments, funds had to be re-appropriated or advanced every quarter, which complicated the process.
According to the chief minister, a recent decision taken by the Deputy Chief Minister and the minister in charge had allowed the police department to take over responsibility for payments. With a new system now in place, he assured that salaries would be disbursed on time, with arrangements secured until March 2026.
Sangma stressed that home guards should not be equated with regular posts like traffic police, as they served on a voluntary basis. According to him, the department maintained a simple process where individuals came forward to volunteer, were taken in, and their names recommended. However, he admitted that with rising numbers, the government might have to streamline the system by introducing preference criteria such as seniority.
On training, Sangma said volunteers were only given basic orientation for tasks in traffic or fire services, and not the full modules required for permanent recruits. He maintained that the very concept of home guards was voluntary service, but added that suggestions made by members regarding better training and fairer deployment would be examined positively.
Earlier, Minister in-charge of Civil Defence and Home Guards, Comingone Ymbon, assured that steps were being taken to resolve the long-pending issue of delayed payments.
Responding to a cut motion moved by Ampati MLA Miani D Shira during the Autumn Session, Ymbon acknowledged that Home Guard volunteers requisitioned by the Police department had been facing irregular disbursement of allowances. He explained that while his department regularly cleared payments for 165 volunteers from its dedicated budget head, the remaining 910 volunteers, whose duty allowances were routed through the Police department, often faced delays since the Police lacked a separate head of account for the purpose.
The minister told the House that after consultations with the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police), it was decided that the responsibility of disbursing these allowances would now be shifted entirely to the Home Guards and Civil Defence department to ensure timely payments.
Tracing the origins of the force, Ymbon reminded that the Home Guards organisation, first raised in Bombay in 1946, became a nationwide auxiliary body after the Chinese aggression of 1962. He stressed that the volunteers had consistently played a vital role in law and order duties, disaster management, fire emergencies, flood relief, rescue operations, and traffic regulation across Shillong, Jowai, Tura and Nongstoin. He pointed out that their services had significantly helped ease traffic congestion and bridge manpower shortages in Fire and Emergency Services.
Highlighting the scope of their contribution, the minister said that 1,075 Home Guard volunteers were currently deployed in traffic management and fire services. Their training, he added, equipped them to handle disasters ranging from floods to landslides, apart from assisting the police in routine duties.
Ymbon tabled a supplementary demand of Rs 16.56 crore to cover pressing requirements. This included allowances for volunteers up to February 2026, since the existing budget allocation of Rs 3.53 crore was insufficient. An additional Rs 67.89 lakh was also sought to clear pending payments to M/s Indradhanush, Lucknow — the firm that conducted the Transparent Recruitment Process during the recent departmental recruitment drive.