Chennai, April 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Tuesday made a series of announcements to strengthen the state police.
The announcements include annual recruitment of personnel for police and fire services departments, construction for their housing, creation of youth brigade, extension of closed user group telephony facility to family members, residential school for children and others measures.
Jayalalithaa also announced hike in food allowances to Rs.200 from Rs.85 a day for the sniffer and tracker police dogs and setting up of solar power units in 500 police stations at an outlay of Rs.20 crore.
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the police and fire services departments, Jayalalithaa said: "This year 17,138 constables, 1,091 sub-inspectors and 1,005 fire service personnel and 292 prison warders would be recruited through Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board."
She said the government has decided to fill up the vacancies on an annual basis after identifying the likely vacancies in advance.
As the services of police personnel are required round-the-clock, she said the government would build housing quarters for them near their place of work.
Jayalalithaa said the government will build 4,800 residential quarters at an outlay of Rs.575 crore during the 2013-14 fiscal.
According to her, 10,500 youths would be inducted into the Tamil Nadu Special Police Youth Brigade to assist the police officials in driving vehicles, maintenance of police quarters, distribution of letters and other tasks.
The chief minister also enhanced to Rs.500,000 the cash awards for the winners of gallantry medals.
Jayalalithaa said the government would open 45 more outlets (similar to army canteens) for the police personnel to buy their requirements at concessional rates with an outlay of around Rs.13 crore.
The government will also open 30 more marine police stations in the state to protect its coastline.
To keep the police personnel fit and trim, Jayalalithaa announced setting of gymnasium facilities in 200 rural police stations in the first phase.
Other announcements included: setting up of 2,700 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras here; provision of 135 narrow wheel based vehicles for patrolling congested areas; 200 mobile CCTV cameras; community halls for police personnel; and setting up of creches for the benefit of women police.
The government will also double the daily food allowance for police, and provide smart phones to inspectors in various intelligence wings and other sections.
