Claim
A newspaper clipping is going viral on social media. The headlines on the newspaper clipping reads, “There is no money, how to pay soldiers’ salary for January.” In this news, it is claimed that around 90,000 jawans of the Sashastra Seema Bal who are deployed at the border areas are yet to receive their salaries.
This problem arises due to the paucity of funds in the department. The problem is so grave, according to this news report, that the SSB personnels are yet to receive Child Education allowances. The Sashastra Seema Bal has notified the government about the crunch in funds.
Furthermore, this report states that CRPF had to face a similar situation of cash crunch last September. Around three lakh CRPF jawans’ Ration Allowance was stopped. It was the Home Ministry’s callous behavior of ignoring the warning of impending lack of funds.
Subhash Fouji @TheSubhashFouji has shared this news clipping with a caption that says, “Those media and blind devotees who keep criticizing Pakistan at every opportunity, must not have seen this news. You often make fun of Pakistan’s soldiers, saying their government doesn’t provide them with anything, now take a look at the condition of your own ‘jewel’ (soldiers), see this once. (translated in English)”
Fact Check
To verify the viral news clipping, the DFRAC conducted a keyword search. It led us to a news report by Aaj Tak, dated 29 January 2020, which stated about the shortage of funds and suspension of allowances to the Sashastra Seema Bal jawans for two months.
Furthermore, the SSB headquarters informed its units across the country that due to shortage of funds it has suspended the allowances of its soldiers for two months, i.e., January and February.
Moreover, the struggle with funds has hit the 90,000 SSB personnels. However, after withholding the allowances for two months, all types of arrears will be paid in March. The orders of withholding allowances were issued on 23 January 2020.
Lastly, there is no latest news regarding such issues in recent times. We tried to find further news reports or information regarding any cash shortage in the Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB in 2024 or 2025, but nothing of that sort is in the media or elsewhere. The Sashastra Seema Bal’s official website doesn’t mention about this cash crunch neither in their press release nor a special section called ‘SSB in Media’ for the year 2024 and 2025.
Conclusion
Hence, it is clear from the DFRAC’s fact check that the claim is misleading. The news clipping is about a severe cash crunch situation that hit the Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB in the year 2020. The SSB jawans didn’t receive any allowances for the months of January and February in 2020. However, the allowance resumed in March. This new clipping is old and doesn’t reflect any current situation in the Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB.
