12 police stations to be converted into citizen-centric model police stations
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi underscored the need for improving police-public relations for better governance and maintenance of law and order.
Interacting with senior officials above the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police at Assam Police headquarters, Gogoi said the police have to come closer to the people for better policing.
Stating that police had a capacity to act as an agent of change, he said to improve police-public interface a separate room with toilet facility has to be set up in each police station for the civilians.
As a first step, 12 existing police stations will be converted into citizen-centric model police stations, the Chief Minister said, adding, the Government would build up the necessary infrastructure for improving the working conditions of police personnel.
“There would be no fund constraints. The Government would release the necessary funds for building the infrastructure and improving the existing ones so that the police personnel can work in a conducive atmosphere and perform better,” he said.
Gogoi said Assam Police’s three-pronged Mission Mode would go a long way in improving its performance to the desired level.
The three Mission Modes are to bring down the pendency of verification cases to maximum 30 days; quick disposal of pending cases in Police Stations to reasonable level by the end of this year and to improve the infrastructure and living conditions of policemen.
Lauding the efforts of the Assam Police on the law and order front, Gogoi said that the police personnel have been doing an “excellent job” against emerging challenges in a fast changing crime scenario.
“Insurgency has been contained to a great extent. Assam is making progress on all fronts. There has been no flight of capital. The towns are flourishing. All this clearly indicates that there has been improvement on the law and order front.”
The Chief Minister, however, said that there was scope for further improvement in the law and order situation and asked the policemen to focus on tackling human trafficking, witch hunting, financial fraud and cyber crimes.
He advocated providing incentives to police personnel posted in interior and far-flung areas. “The police personnel who are working in difficult conditions deserve to be encouraged by way of incentives,” Gogoi said.
Stating the Government has decided to raise the women recruitment in police force to 30 per cent, Gogoi said, “raising the number of women in the state police would help to tackle the rising crimes against women. Women police personnel are doing very well. All police stations would have women cells by 2016”.
Earlier, Director General of Police Khagen Sarma said the Assam Police would bring down the pendency of verification cases to 0-30 days and August 15 has been set as the deadline.
Stating Assam Police handles more than one lakh verification cases annually, Sarma said the SPs could organise post verification mela like the one conducted in Jorhat recently to achieve the target within the stipulated deadline.
Sarma said reducing the number of pending cases in police stations to a reasonable level by the end of this year would be Mission Mode II of Assam Police.
“Our target is to bring down to 50 per cent of the total pending cases in police stations across the State by December 31 this year,” he added.
Sarma also exhorted the SPs and Officer-in-Charge of police stations to accomplish the onerous task ahead of them. Technical Advisers on contractual basis would be appointed with fixed pay of Rs 20,000 to aid and assist the SPs in respect of disposal of pending cases.
The DGP said the Mission Mode III would be to improve the infrastructure and living conditions of policemen.
He said 200 locations for constables and sub inspectors have been identified for construction of modern barracks with proper amenities.
Saying Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for infrastructure development of Assam Police, the DGP said Rs 50 crore has been released for repairing and maintenance of existing structures with focus on water supply and sanitation.
Principal Secretary, Home and Political, MGVK Bhanu said the Government would provide all support and assistance to the State Police to achieve its avowed objectives under Mission Mode. (PTI)