The Haryana Government on Wednesday announced to increase the amount of ex-gratia being given to police personnel who lay down their lives in the line of duty from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, and for those seriously injured from
Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.
The Chief Minister Manohar lal on Wednesday said that more facilities will be provided to the police personnel to raise their morale and enable them to perform better.
On the occasion of Haryana’s first Mahila Police Diwas in Panchkula, he announced to sanction Rs 4 crore every year for setting up of police public schools in the remaining ten districts of the state, centralised seniority for promotion in all ranks, common cadre for both male and female police personnel, ration money of Rs 600 per month for class IV employees of the district and other units, Government hospitals at the Police Training Institutes at Bhondsi, Madhuban and Sunaria and two new regional forensic labs at Hisar and Panchkula.
The Mahila Police Diwas would be celebrated ever year on the eve of Raksha Bandhan to deliberate upon women’s security and other related issues, he said.
Manohar lal also announced that 3,060 new houses would be constructed for the police personnel next year. Matching grant would be given for the Police Welfare Fund and Road Safety Fund, he said. The Chief Minister also chaired level–A meeting of the Police Welfare Society where various decisions were taken for the welfare of police personnel.
He said that one representative of the Police Department would be included in the committee constituted for implementation of recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission for the state government employees. He also gave the assurance that the police personnel’s demands concerning mobile allowance, uniform allowance and risk allowance for the police personnel would be sympathetically considered.
As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill has been cleared, the issue of exemption of VAT for police canteens would also be taken up accordingly, he added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister honoured four women police personnel by presenting them with medals for their outstanding performance in the field of crime against women in the last one year.
Mukhyamantri Mahila Sarvotam Seva Padak was bestowed upon Inspector Garima. The other three who were honoured are Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Rekha Rani and Head Constables Sunita Devi and Meenu Khan.
The Chief Minister said that a year back on the occasion of Rakshan Bandhan, women police stations had been set up at district level. Besides, police help desks had been set up at sub-division level in the state which would be subsequently converted into women police stations.
While 1,000 women constables have been recruited in the Police Department, 1,000 more constables and 100 women sub-inspectors would also be recruited, he added.
25,000 complaints received at women police stations
A total of 25,754 complaints of crime against women had been registered at women police stations since their inception last year.
Out of these, 95 per cent complaints have been disposed off. Similarly, 45,175 calls were received at women helpline number on the basis of which 170 cases were registered and appropriate action has been taken in 96 per cent cases, as per official figures.
At present, only six per cent women are in the state police and this figure would soon be increased to 10 per cent, said the Chief Minister while adding that efforts are being made to gradually increase the strength of women in the state police force to 33 per cent.
Fifty PCRs and 100 scooties have already been announced for women police stations, said the Chief Minister.
Apart from this, women police volunteers would be appointed in every village of the districts of Karnal and Mahendergarh in the first phase. These volunteers would assist the police in maintaining proper coordination with the people.
The State Government has planned to set up Mahila Paramarsh Kendras in every police station to deal with the cases of domestic violence. Mahila Groups having five to ten senior most women would be constituted to resolve cases through mutual dialogue.
To ensure that women get the facility of legal aid, a proposal is being considered to appoint one women advocate in every police station, the Chief Minister said, adding that the government had already made a provision for financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh for the women victim.
Police personnel caught napping
At the first Mahila Police Diwas organised in Panchkula, few women police personnel were caught napping as the Chief Minister was making announcements for the welfare of Haryana Police and to boost their morale. When asked about the incident, a senior police official said that the women police personnel are performing duty for more than 16 hours as there is a shortage of manpower in women police stations in the state. Many police personnel have come here to attend the function after their duty hours, and were tired, said the official.