Plans for cops remain paper promises

The proposal, formulated by a committee which included Director General of Police Arvind Inamdar, former ministers Gajanan Kirtikar and Prabhakar More, had made certain recommendations which would allow a constable to retire as an officer, ie, as a sub-inspector at the very least, while a sub-inspector could rise to the rank of superintendentor a deputy commissioner of police. The then home minister, Gopinath Munde, had also announced in March 1998 that the proposal would be implemented but the matter ended there.

Another proposal refers to the creation of additional police stations in the state. At least 45 police stations including 13 in the city were sought to be established in view of the worsening law and order situation, especially last year. The state government, which had expressed an interest in checking crime, failed to clear this proposal as well. 8220;It was just tall talk. Even plans to bifurcate the Oshiwara police station and set up another one at Versova have been pending for more than four years.

Another proposal, which sought to fix working hours among the lower ranks and give them at least one weekly holiday, has been gathering dust. As per the existing rules, personnel are entitled to one weekly holiday but in practice they end up working seven days a week. Hence, it was proposed that if one works on a holiday, he/she shouldbe paid a day8217;s wages for it. In contrast, employees of other government departments are paid overtime on an hourly basis. While a policeman is entitled to Rs 150, he is given only Rs 47 in the guise of an allowance, the proposal had stated.

To ease the workload on an overworked force, manpower was sought to be augmented. Of the 1.38 lakh personnel in the state police, 38,000 belong to the Mumbai police. However, the state police requires as least 25,000 more personnel inclusing 10,000 more for the city police. However, plans to increase staff strength have remained only on paper.

According to another proposal, the refreshment allowance was to be raised. At present, a constable is entitled to Rs 10, while an officer receives Rs 12 as refreshment allowance. Though inflation has hit the roof, the allowance has remained constant since several years. The police had sought to raise the allowance by at least 50 per cent.

Two proposals were exclusively aimed at the betterment of lower rung personnel. Atpresent, a constable is treated as a semi-skilled labourer and is paid a basic salary of Rs 3,050. The state government was asked to treat the constable as a skilled worker and treated at par with a patwari or talati and given a salary of Rs 3,200.

Another proposal, pending since 40 years, refers to the lowly police patil. In mofussil areas of the state, the police patil is the junior-most policemen, who is controlled by the police force but is paid by the state Revenue Department. The dual control, which has led to confusion regarding accountability, has hampered his functioning in the villages. Inamdar had suggested that the police patil be absorbed into the state police force. However, the proposal is still pending.

Says Inamdar, 8220;We are aware that these proposals are pending for a long time now. We plan to take them up with the new dispensation in the state and hope to get them cleared soon.8221;