RPP urges State Govt to address low TA/DA for Jawans on election duty

Dimapur, October 31 (MExN): While acknowledging the respect shown to former parliamentarians during Nagaland’s 60th Statehood Day celebrations, the Rising People’s Party (RPP) has urged the state government to extend similar respect to Nagaland’s Jawans, who are scheduled for deployment to Jharkhand and Maharashtra for election duties in November 2024.

In a press release, the RPP highlighted the challenging conditions faced by Jawans during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when they traveled extensively across the country in harsh summer conditions. They noted that the Rs. 550 allowance provided as travel and daily expenses (TA/DA) was “paltry,” and in some cases, Jawans reportedly lost their lives due to heatstroke.

The RPP called on the NDPP-BJP Coalition to avoid repeating such oversights, emphasizing that the government should demonstrate “magnanimity” by addressing the challenges of military service, particularly in terms of TA/DA for duties outside the state. They suggested an increase in the allowance to a minimum of Rs. 1,000 per Jawan, which, according to the party, would be a “strong message” of gratitude and respect from a “mature state” toward its Jawans serving the nation selflessly.