Constables to retire as SIs under new service rules, claims deputy CM Sukhbir Singh...

Women constables offering sweets to each other after their promotion during pipping ceremony in Jalandhar on Thursday. (Pradeep Pandit/HT Photo)

Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday said the state government would draft new service rules in the police department under which newly recruited constables will retire at least in the rank of sub-inspector.

Making the announcement during the piping ceremony of 5,624 police personnel who got promotions, Sukhbir said the final touches are being given to these rules in consultation with the legal department. He said under the new rules, each newly recruited police constable would get promotions at the fixed tenure of his service. 

 While addressing the police personnel at PAP, Sukhbir, who also holds the portfolio of home minister, stated that to create facilities for police personnel, the state government has also decided to construct residential barracks at Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and Patiala and the construction work would start very soon. 

Punjab police officials putting promotion badges on each other during pipping ceremony in Jalandhar, on Thursday. (Pradeep pandit/HT Photo)

The Deputy CM also listened to police personnel regarding their problems and gave directions to DGP Suresh Arora to make provisions for giving weekly offs to the police personnel. He also announced to decrease value-added tax (VAT) on the items being purchased for the police canteens from 14.5% to 5.6% on the same VAT rate being imposed on items at BSF canteens. 

 He also informed that an independent cell for investigation of cases would start working soon thereby improving the performance of the police departments manifolds. 

 Sukhbir said to provide modern equipment to the police, Rs 100 crore have already been released to the police department. Besides this, Rs 23 crore has also been released for the welfare fund of the police department. He also announced to give Rs 2 crore to strengthen the infrastructure at the PAP headquarters here. 

 On the occasion, as many as 4,188 constables, promoted as head constables, 1,263 head constables, promoted as assistant sub-inspectors, and 173 assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), promoted as sub-inspectors, attended the piping ceremony. Sukhbir also announced to provide special promotions to 25 police personnel each year for their unmatched services.