Even as the State Government is facing a tough time due to acute shortage of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, the Centre’s reluctance to allocate more police officials has only aggravated the situation.
The IPS cadre of Odisha comprises a total of 188 posts, out of which 131 are meant for direct recruits and the rest 57 are for those from the State police service. Out of 131 posts provided for direct recruitment, 102 officers are now posted in the State with a shortfall of 29.On top of this, all the 57 posts under the promotion quota are lying vacant due to non-availability of eligible State police officers for promotion to the IPS cadre.
Out of 102 IPS officers’ positions, 22 have been working in various deputation posts in the Central Government. So, there are only 80 IPS officers available now to handle the entire police administration.Due to such acute unprecedented shortage of IPS officers, Additional Superintendents of Police from the State Police Service have been posted as Superintendents of Police in several districts.Keeping this in view, the State Government has been persistently requesting the Centre to allot Odisha cadre to more IPS officers. Repeated requests by the State Department of Home to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs have been turned down time and again.
The State Government for the last four years has been requesting for at least 10 IPS officers to be posted in Odisha. In 2010, the State Government had asked for 15 IPS officers whereas the allocation was only four out of which one left for joining the Indian Railway Service.In 2011, the State had requested for 12 officers while the allotment again was only four out of which one officer left the State to join the IAS.
The State scaled down its request to 10 IPS officers in 2012, but only five were posted in Odisha. Similarly in 2013, the State Government requested for 10 officers, but five were allotted to Odisha. In 2014, the Centre has till now allotted five IPS officers.