STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHAT: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently called for ending the 'PSO culture' in Assam and had urged the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to give up their PSOs (Personal Security Officer). At present, there are 3,000 PSOs attached to politicians, businessmen, government officers, retired government officers and other important personalities of the State.
The government is examining the security threat to the persons who still have PSOs and has sought reports from the respective districts about the threat perception. The government is convinced that based on the reports, some PSOs will be withdrawn.
Chief Minister Sarma, while calling the PSO culture a 'Congress culture', said that keeping PSOs had become a status symbol for many people. Hence, some PSOs must be withdrawn and they must be engaged in police duties. After the Chief Minister's direction, 732 PSOs have been withdrawn from the service of some political leaders and important personalities to date.
Notably, the State Government had set up a State Security Review Committee to review the allotment of PSOs, headed by the Principal Secretary, Home Department. Based on the report of this committee, these 732 PSOs have been withdrawn from the service of some personalities. These PSOs have returned to their original place of posting and will now be engaged in police work.
Sources said that the State Security Review Committee would examine the reports sent in by the districts and take the final decision on the allotment of the 3,000 PSOs who are still attached to politicians, businessmen, government officers and other personalities.
A huge amount of money is spent from the State exchequer to pay the salary of the PSOs, many of whom are attached to people with no apparent security threat. This move by the government to review the deployment of PSOs will ease the burden on the State exchequer.
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