Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday announced the government is recruiting over 200,000 policemen to strengthen the existing police force in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populated state.
"The process of recruiting 204,021 police constables is in process and a recruitment board headed by senior police officials is already on the job. The government is also reviewing the pay regulations of the police force," Mayawati said, addressing a gathering of policemen on the occasion of Police Memorial Day.
She said the force has improved a lot and achieved new heights in the past two and a half years.
"Be it the encounter of dreaded bandit Ghanshyam Kewat in Chitrakoot, in which four cops were killed in the line of duty or maintaining law and order in the state, our police force has lived up to the expectations of everyone," Mayawati said at the Reserve Police Lines.
The chief minister also reminded the police of upliftment and modernisation steps taken by the state government.
The force has been given liberty to tackle crime, law and order (problems) of the state, "but cops should remain in the limits permissible by law," she said.
"The government has also sanctioned Rs.30 crore for various welfare schemes of the force and another Rs.245 crore for its modernisation," Mayawati said.
Director General of Police Karamveer Singh also paid homage to the policemen who laid their lives in the past year. "The Uttar Pradesh police force lost 107 cops in the last one year. This is definitely a loss to us but we stand united to guard our state and our nation," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}Director General of Police Karamveer Singh also paid homage to the policemen who laid their lives in the past year. "The Uttar Pradesh police force lost 107 cops in the last one year. This is definitely a loss to us but we stand united to guard our state and our nation," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}Mayawati also met the family members of the deceased cops and assured them all possible help and support from the government.