New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, sacked as many as 25,000 home guards, deployed across police stations and traffic signal in the state, from their duties.

As per reports Uttar Pradesh’s Home Department, headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath relieved the guards from their duties. They will be assigned duties depending on demands, reports said.

After their payment was hiked to equal the pay given to police, the budget of the department started to suffer. In order to balance the load on the budget, the termination of their services was proposed, sources said.

Police and other departments substantially reduced the number of home guards engaged.

The number of home guards employed for maintenance of law and order, has been reduced sharply by 32%.

The order has been issued by BP Jogdand, the additional director general (ADG) at the police headquarters in Prayagraj. The decision to relieve the guards was taken on August 28, in the meeting chaired by chief secretary.

At present, UP has over 90,000 home guards, who earn Rs 500 daily.

The government will soon clear all pending arrears to home guards since December 2016.