DHARAMSHALA, DEC 23  :    Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday informed the assembly that he would soon discuss with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resolve the issue of increasing salaries of 526 Special Police Officers (SPOs) posted on the Jammu and Kashmir border at Pangi, Bharmour in Chamba and Lahaul Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.

Replying to a query raised by member DS Thakur from Dalhousie, Sukhu said that he is scheduled to meet Amit Shah on January 3 and 4 and the issue would be taken up by him.

He said that a meeting is scheduled with the Union Minister regarding releasing of funds for flood and rain affected Himachal Pradesh and he would raise this issue with the union government.

He praised the BJP member Hansraj from Churah for raising this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister.

Earlier highlighting the salary issue of SPOs in the house, Thakur said that appointees who are not regular employees of state are being paid Rs 6000 per month which is very less compared to Rs 18000 being paid by the state of J&K .

Hansraj supporting this issue in the house stated that the Union Government wants a notification from the state in this regard as the state of Jammu and Kashmir has hiked the salaries of SPOs to Rs 28000 and Haryana to Rs 26000.

In written reply to this query, the state has replied that there is no proposal to increase the salaries of SPOs in the state on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is worthwhile to mention that after militant attack in the Kalaban and Satrudi village of Chamba, terrorists killed 35 people as they infested from Doda area of Jammu to Himachal in 1998.

After the incident, the Centre deployed Central paramilitary forces in the border areas.

However after withdrawal of Central paramilitary forces from the border areas, the state police appointed 526 SPOs to guard the porous border.(UNI)