A proposal to hike police’s Casual Leave gathers dust in Mantralaya
MoS (Home) Shambhuraje Desai’s announcement in legislature turns out to be an empty promise
UNMESH GUJARATHI
Sprouts Brand Story
The police’s job of maintaining law and order is very stressful. To enable them to take a break occasionally, the then DGP had prepared a proposal to revise the casual leave entitlement. However the proposal is gathering dust in Mantralaya and the assurance given by the Minister of State for Home Shambhuraje Desai in the state legislature has turned out to be an empty promise. Many in the police department say that no decision has been taken in the matter as yet.
The police ranks are required to perform 12 hours duty. They have to stand by for bandobast duties for festivals, anniversaries, political rallies, and agitation throughout the year. In some police stations, traffic and crime branches, the duty hours exceed 12 hours. The police constables as well as officers fall in the same gamut.
With a view to give some mental and physical relief to the policemen, the then DGP Sanjay Pandey had forwarded a proposal to increase the number of casual leave, for approval to the state government.
At present the policemen are entitled to 12 days casual leave. The DGP had suggested that the casual leave quota be revised to 20 days with 8 days in addition to the existing entitlement. However the proposal is lying with the home department and no decision has been made.
