The Jammu & Kashmir government spends huge amount per month for providing security to VIPs, Anti-national speakers, hatemongers and separatists.

Here are some quick facts as to how much our Jammu & Kashmir governments spend for security of VIP’s:

• On an average, as per latest government figures a whopping amount of Rs 6,25,71,277 is being spent per month on the security front in the state as reported in local daily.
• Out of the mentioned figure, a whopping Rs 5,79,58,277 crores is spent only on the salaries of PSOs and drivers engaged with them.
• According to figures disclosed in state assembly in 2015, there are some 440 “political activists” who are provided hotel accomodation by the government on pretext of their security. The amount for the same is said to be Rs 46,13,000 per month, which amounts to Rs 5,53,56,000.
• This year alone, Rs 65,08,500 have already been spent on fuel expenses of these people.
• J&K has 25000 SPOs in service as of now. Last year Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced additional 10000 SPOs for the state. An SPO draws a starting salary of Rs 5,000 which increases upto Rs 5,300 after 1 year and to Rs 6,000 after 3 years.

Data regarding separatists and “political activists” alone, as presented in the state assembly is as under

Having entitled to security cover in Jammu & Kashmir is highly fashionable and some times it’s a necessity.

Here lives of some citizens seem to be much more important than others. And this is because of what is known as the VIP syndrome. The cream of our police personnel is engaged in providing VIP security. But then, there is no transparent method of determining who is a VIP to be provided that security. As we have seen, we had Separatists in Kashmir being provided security by the JKP.

Obviously the VIP-security needs a serious relook as a system.