Shah promises to improve working condition of cops

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 21

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today assured that the government will address issues relating to good working environment, health and family welfare of the police personnel across the country.

Addressing an event here to mark the Police Commemoration Day here, the Home Minister, after paying homage to martyrs, said India's stride into the world as a powerful nation was ensured by the work of these men and women in khaki who render dedicated national service. Police and paramilitary personnel was present there.

The day is observed to pay homage to 10 policemen (of the CRPF) killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area. A ceremonial guard of honour by a joint squad of CAPFs was presented during the event, which lasted for about 45 minutes.

Further lauding the role played by police forces, Shah said they had been performing an onerous task, as against the global benchmark of 222 personnel for 1 lakh citizens only 144 are present on the ground. “This is why about 90 per cent of police personnel have to render duties of over 12 hours each day and about three-fourth of them cannot even take a weekly off,” he noted.

“My government has done a lot for police welfare and I can assure that we will be doing more work, taking more steps to ensure health, housing, family welfare and a good working environment for you in a time-bound manner,” the minister said.

“When we see police work in a normal way, it looks usual but when we change the perspective we understand that the development strides our country is taking is due to the dedicated and silent service of these policemen,” Shah said, adding that from tackling terrorists to insurgents and Naxals to managing traffic on the road, all is done by police personnel.

“I can assure the police personnel that this memorial will become an institution that will tell the world about the tale of valour of the police personnel of the country," Shah said.

BOX

292 cops killed last year

As per the latest data, over 35,000 police personnel have been killed in action since Independence and in the last year time, a total of 292 personnel laid down their lives or died due to unnatural reasons while on duty.