A Standing Committee report of the Home Department on Wednesday recommended that a five-year action plan be evolved to augment the present civil police strength of 81 to 100 per lakh of population in the State in a phased manner. It said approximately Rs 188 crore would be spent each year during the five-year period towards creation of various categories of posts and requisite infrastructure.
The committee said police strength needs to be increased to address the growing security concerns in both urban and rural sectors arising out of rapid urbanization and growth in population. It also recommended that a separate medical fund be created to provide emergency financial assistance for the treatment of the security personnel sustaining critical injury in anti-Maoist operations/encounters.
The committee’s other recommendations include establishment of a swimming pool in the Biju Patnaik Police Academy for improving quality of police training and installation of a life-size statue of Biju Patnaik inside the academy campus. Observing that police barracks located at different places are in a dilapidated state, the committee said they be repaired/renovated early. The report was presented by committee chairman Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik.