BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced restructuring of the Orissa Police Service cadre and direct recruitment to the Orissa Police Service.
Replying to the discussion on demand for supplementary grants for the Home and General Administration Department, the Chief Minister said steps were taken to increase the strength of the police officers in the middle and senior supervisory ranks to meet the internal security requirement of the State.
Direct recruitment to the Orissa Police Service has been reintroduced after a gap of 28 years and steps were taken to combine all the cadres in armed police as sub-inspector (armed cadre) to streamline their promotion.
Admitting that Left wing extremism is major cause for concern, the Chief Minister said the government had recently constituted a State-level unified command headed by Chief Secretary to monitor the anti-Maoist operations in the State. It has been decided to appoint 5,600 special police officers from among the tribal youths.
Describing the attack on civilians by Maoists as a very disturbing trend, the Chief Minister said this was a sign of weakness. He condemned the attack on an ambulance killing five persons including a child. He said activities of Maoists in Bansadhara, Ghumsur, Kalinga Nagar and Sambalpur-Deogarh- Sundergarh divisions had been contained due to sustained police action.
Initiating the discussion, Anup Sai of Congress alleged that the State had witnessed 23.4 per cent increase in the crime rate including murder and rape.
While the police to population ration is much below the national average, a large number of posts, including 2,676 grama rakhis, are lying vacant. Even the Government has failed to utilise the funds provided by the Centre for combating Left wing ultras, he said.
Responding to Sai’s allegation on nonimplementation of Gramya Nayalay scheme, Naveen said one Nayalay was functioning in Puri Sadar block while seven such village courts had been sanctioned. Not satisfied with the reply of the Chief Minister, the BJP and Congress members walked out.