In the capital city of Dehradun, Nisha Oswal stands on duty in her Provincial Guard service uniform, representing a stark reality of prolonged temporary employment in Uttarakhand. Having begun her journey in the Prantiya Rakshak Dal back in 1997, Nisha has dedicated 29 years of continuous service through 2026. Despite three decades of administrative and security work, she has never been granted regular employment status. Instead, her livelihood is restricted to merely 5 to 6 months of official deployment each year, forcing her into prolonged unemployment for the remaining 6 to 7 months without any financial support or stability.
Raising Two Children Alone After the Sudden Loss of Her Husband
Originally from the Purola area in Uttarkashi district, Nisha encountered a severe personal crisis around 8 to 9 years ago when her husband passed away suddenly. The tragic loss placed the entire responsibility of sustaining the household and raising two children squarely upon her shoulders. Nisha shares that both of her children excel in academics, and her deepest wish is to provide them with quality schooling. However, in the absence of a permanent job and a regular monthly paycheck, managing everyday household expenses remains an uphill battle, making it extremely difficult to fulfill her aspirations for their educational advancement.
Limited Annual Deployments and Inadequate Income Stability
Nisha explains that her predicament mirrors the plight of numerous women across the hill state who continually strive for dependable, year-round livelihood opportunities. While Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced an enhancement in honorarium rates for PRD personnel, Nisha points out that a higher rate provides little relief when deployment is limited to only a fraction of the year. When personnel are left without work for five to six months annually, meeting basic family necessities remains nearly impossible. Without regular wages or future financial security, workers are left in an endless cycle of waiting for their next temporary assignment.
Widespread Discontent Among Thousands of PRD Personnel Across the State
The struggle against erratic deployment extends well beyond Nisha to thousands of PRD personnel stationed throughout Uttarakhand who endure identical working conditions. Dissatisfaction over the absence of permanent employment and steady livelihoods has prompted the Prantiya Rakshak Dal Hit Sangathan to press the administration for immediate action. The state president of the organisation, Kishan Singh Rawat, warned that if the state administration fails to adopt a constructive stance on their grievances soon, PRD personnel from all corners of the state will assemble in Dehradun to stage a massive protest rally. Rawat noted that the organisation had previously launched an indefinite sit-in demonstration at Ekta Vihar starting on March 18.
Demands for Year-Round Work and Parity with Home Guards
The core demands presented by the Prantiya Rakshak Dal Hit Sangathan focus on securing full-year, regular duty assignments for all personnel to ensure sustained income for their families. In addition, the association demands that PRD jawans be provided a basic pay scale accompanied by a dearness allowance, structured along the lines of the provisions granted to Home Guards. The personnel emphasise that continuous employment throughout the year is vital for running their homes smoothly and investing in the schooling of their children. Thousands of PRD personnel across the state now await a concrete policy resolution from the government.
