With eye on 2012 Assembly polls,govt announces biggest ever bonanza for police

Sukhbir claimed that earlier,a constable used to get promoted to the rank of a senior constable after 9 years of service. This has now been reduced to 8 years,benefiting 1,600 constables,he said. Similarly,3,599 head constables,who have completed 10 years of service,were promoted as ASI (local rank) under the new policy.

Slamming the Congress for neglecting the police during its regime,Sukhbir said against Badal government’s record of 20,064 recruitment,the Congress government had recruited only 1,542 constables and ASIs. He added that 6,200 candidates,including 485 women constables,will be appointed later this month. Besides,recruitment of 50 ASIs in the intelligence wing and 150 sub-inspectors was under process.

Handing over a cheque of Rs 5 crore to the Police Welfare Fund,Sukhbir said he set up a separate directorate for police welfare under the command of an ADGP.

Other Announcements

* From now on,100 per cent constabulary will be given house rent against the earlier limit of 60 per cent.

* Cashless medical claim group health insurance scheme up to Rs 2 lakh sanctioned for police personnel and their dependents. This benefit has been extended to all police personnel,including the ministerial staff and class IV employees.

* Government will provide Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the police personnel who die on duty. Similarly,Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia will be given to those who die while in action with terrorist/anti-social elements.

* To take care of the families of those police personnel who die on duty or during action,the government will provide Rs 1 lakh for the wedding of daughters of such personnel.

* Wards of recipients of Gallantry Medal will be recruited as sub-inspectors,if otherwise eligible. Those recruited on compassionate ground will be allotted district numbers and their cases will be processed by concerned SSPs/Units within 15 days. They will be given employment in the home district.

* Punjab Police Academy in Phillaur will be converted to a police university,which will be the first such university in the country

* New PAP Sport School is being set up in Jalandhar to train 5,000 children