THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With a view to ending gender disparity in government services, the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department (P&AR) has recommended direct recruitment of women as drivers in state police.
Women representation is nil among police drivers, a report submitted by the P&AR department to the government recently said. The Pink police vehicles are driven by women, but by police officers, and not by those recruited as drivers. Even vehicles at women police stations are driven by males.
“In this circumstance women should be given equal opportunity when considering for the post of drivers,” the report has said.
The P&AR department was asked to submit a report after the government decided to withhold the recommendation of the state police chief to allow 760 driver posts in the force. The government had asked the department to hold a detailed study on the existing situation of drivers.
The study has found that due to lack of enough number of drivers, the serving ones are forced to work overtime and deprived of rest. The report has endorsed the state police chief’s recommendation for approval of 760 posts of drivers.
“The duty time of the police drivers should not exceed 12 hours. A driver should be given the charge of a vehicle. The working conditions of the police drivers are not good. They have not been allocated a seat or table. When they come to the station for duty there is no facility to place their bag and clothes. In this situation the drivers should be provided with a table or rack in the station,” the report has said.
Digitalisation of police vehicles’ mgmt suggested
The report has also recommended digitalisation of department vehicles’ management.
“It is desirable to develop a software through which the thumb impression of the concerned driver is recorded and linked to the Aadhaar. When vehicles are purchased, steps should be taken to include 10-year annual maintenance as part of the contract. Appointing police drivers in other offices apart from their home office could be avoided,” the report has said.