Hyderabad: Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday asked the media and Tollywood not to criticise or portray the police in a bad light.
Speaking on the occasion of the Police Commemoration Parade at Shivkumar Lal Stadium in Goshamahal, the Chief Minister announced an increase of ex gratia for martyrs in the force and medical allowances for policemen under treatment (Arogya Bhadratha scheme).
He also said that orders would be issued soon to grant Gazetted rank to sub-inspectors of police in the state.
Mr Rao said his government would extend all support to the families of martyrs and the sacrifices of martyrs while performing their duties wo-uld never be forgotten.
“We have decided to increase the ex gratia for martyrs in the rank of constable and head constables to Rs 40 lakh from Rs 25 lakh. It will be Rs 45 lakh for sub-inspectors, Rs 50 lakh for circle inspectors and DSPs and Rs 1 crore for IPS officers,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the state government would also make sure that the entire future salary of a martyr would be paid to the family. He assured that the amount would be paid to the families of the martyr within one week.
The Chief Minister also announced increase in daily allowance of police constables from Rs 90 to Rs 250. He said the state government would provide free weekly medical check-ups for the personnel who had completed 40 years in service.
Mr Rao also said that 50,000 Closed User Groups (CUG) phones would be provided to the cops in the state in order to strengthen communication in the department. He added that all state police canteens would be given VAT exemption.
Home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy said the government had given top priority to maintenance of law and order in the state as only a peaceful atmosphere would attract investors and thus development.
Praising the Chief Minister, DGP Anurag Sharma said that no other chief minister had responded to the concerns of the police as much as Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao had.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan also paid homage to the police martyrs.
Home guards protest lack of Concern for their lives
Scores of home guards disturbed the police commemoration parade at the Shivkumar Lal Stadium in Goshamahal by shouting slogans against the Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and police chief, and alleged that both government and police department have ignored their welfare.
They alleged that the CM did not make mention about them in his speech, neither had he declared any welfare measures for them.
Women home guards agitated by standing up from their seats and raising their voice.
They said that while the CM continued with the declaration of the hike in ex gratia for police officers, he did not utter a word about martyrs from home guards.
They said that home guards were always neglected and that they were paid very low salaries unlike the police cadre.
As the tension mounted, senior police officials pacified the agitated crowd. The CM, however, remained tight lipped about the issue.
