DW BUREAU / Phillaur (Jalandhar)

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said that in order to provide efficient, responsive and effective Policing the state government is upgrading the Punjab Police on modren lines.

Addressing the gathering here before flagging off the 410 new vehicles, the Chief Minister said that for the first time new vehicles are being given to the SHOs. He said that this is contrary to earlier trend when the new vehicles were given to the top officers instead of those at grassroot level. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that SHOs are the real face of the Punjab police as they are directly connected with people.

The Chief Minister said that to check the fatality rate due to road accidents in the state on one hand and to streamline the movement of traffic on the roads of the state on the other, the state government has launched Sadak Surakhya Force. He said that the first of its kind specialized force is acting as a pivotal to save several precious lives that are lost in road accidents daily in Punjab and this force has been entrusted with the task of checking rash driving, streamlining vehicular movement on roads and others to check the road accidents. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that initially 129 vehicles equipped with ultra modern gadgets have been deployed after every 30 kilometres to man the roads and these vehicles will also have a complete medical kit for providing emergency treatment to any person in need.

The Chief Minister said that it is matter of immense pride and satisfaction that Sadak Surakhya Force have been instrumental in reducing death rate within fortnight as against the earlier average of 17 deaths per day, only 13 deaths have been reported in last 15 days. He said that this is just preliminary results and it will be reduced further in coming times . Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Sadak Surakhya Force will be instrumental in reducing the burden from the district Police and improve their efficiency.

The Chief Minister said that being a border state a number of forces inimical to state have been chalking out nefarious designs to disturb hard earned peace of state but the Punjab Police has always foiled such attempts. He said that to further overcome major challenges faced by the state it is imperative that the Police force is updated as per advanced requirements in the field of investigation, science and technology. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab government is committed to upgrade and modernize the state Police on scientific lines adding that Punjab Police will uphold its glorious legacy of selfless service to nation in coming times too.

The Chief Minister said that as a part of women empowerment eight exclusive Police stations have been set up for safety and security of the women. He said that several districts of the state are having female officers as Senior Superintendent of Police and more than 10 districts have lady Deputy Commissioners. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that concerted efforts are being made for the welfare of the girls in the state and these initiatives are producing desired results.

The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has taken several path breaking initiatives for welfare of the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that 90% households are now getting free power, more than 40,000 youth have got government jobs, health and education facilities are being provided to people. He said that all these initiatives are aimed at well being of the common man and no stone is being left

unturned for it.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has already decided to recruit 1800 Constables and 300 Sub Inspectors every year in Punjab Police for the coming four years to overcome the scarcity of cops. He said that as for these 2100 posts every year around 2.50 lakh candidates are expected to apply for these posts so all the aspirants will get involved in academics as well as in improving their physique for clearing the tests. Bhagwant Mann said that this is helping in channelizing their unbounded energy in a positive direction and help them in weaning away from the menace of drugs.
(editor@dailyworld.in)