Ahead of the conduct of the first ever Assembly polls in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir decks have been cleared by the Union Home Ministry to revive and strengthen the Village Defence Committees (VDC's) which remained in the forefront of counter terrorist operations at the peak of militancy in the Jammu region.
Under the revival plan the members are likely to be equipped with advanced weapons fulfilling one of the long pending demands of the VDC's.
The significant announcement was made by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his interaction with the delegation of VDC members in New Delhi. In a formal communication sent to the office of the Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday the Union Home Ministry said after examining the issue of Village Defence Committees it has been decided that the members of the village defence group shall be designated as Village Defence Guards(VDG). Each VDG will have eight to 10 members and all of them will have equal rank and receive monthly salaries in their bank accounts.
"In more vulnerable areas persons who shall be leading/coordinating the VDG would be paid 4500 per month and other persons who are members of these VDG's on a voluntary basis will be paid a uniform rate of 4000 per month".
The letter further stated these VDG's will function under the direction of SP/SSP of the concerned district. More than 27,000 VDC members are currently enrolled with the Home Department in Jammu and Kashmir. These VDC's were constituted in 1995 following targeted killings of members belonging to the minority community in erstwhile Doda district.These VDC's members have been performing different duties in different topographies of the region.
They assist the Border Security force and the Indian army and act as their eyes and ears on the ground zero to prevent any major infiltration bid while directly fight with the terrorists in the hilly areas of Chenab valley region where minority population was targted to trigger second wave of migration.
These VDC members were trained in self defence, imparted training of weapon handling, security drills at regular training camps/ workshops organised by the Indian army and Jammu and Kashmir police.
Briefing media persons about the revival plan, BJP General Secretary and former cabinet minister Sunil Sharma Wednesday said," complete revival plan was discussed during a meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday".