PUNE: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the families of police personnel who died on duty due to COVID-19.
"Several police officials have lost their lives in the line of duty due to the virus. To extend help to the families of the officials who died due to COVID-19, the state government has decided to provide a compensation of Rs 50 lakh each," he said during an inauguration event in Pune.
Assuring the police force of his support to them, Patil added, "The proposal that a constable should retire as an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the department is in the pipeline."
"The issue of utmost importance- housing for the department will also be addressed with the Rs 700 crore allocation made in the budget," he added.
Patil, along with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar inaugurated two Police Welfare Petrol Pumps in Pune today. The units will be operated by women staff.
The petrol pumps are located near the rural police headquarters in Pune and the revenue generated from the two would be used for rural police welfare.
During his address at the inauguration ceremony, Patil said that the police department works under challenging conditions to save society, and the pressure on the department due to the COVID-19 pandemic increased immensely.
Highlighting the police department's hard work during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dy CM Pawar said, "If we take care of each other and take responsibility for each other, then only can we be able to control the situation."