Will ensure good working environment, health for police personnel: Shah

The Union government will undertake time-bound steps to ensure that good working environment, health and family welfare related concerns of police personnel are addressed, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday.

Addressing a joint column of police and paramilitary personnel after paying homage to police martyrs, Shah said India's stride into the world as a powerful nation is ensured by the work of these men and women in khaki who render dedicated national service.

The minister said the police is doing an onerous task as against the benchmark 222 personnel for 1 lakh citizens, only 144 are present on the ground.

This is the reason why about 90 per cent of police personnel have to render duties of over 12 hours each day and about three-fourth of them cannot even take a weekly off, he said.

"My government has done a lot for police welfare and I can assure that we will be doing more work, taking more steps to ensure health, housing, family welfare and a good working environment for you in a time-bound manner," Shah said while addressing the troops on the occasion of the police commemoration day.

Shah said that on the occasion of the police commemoration day, he and the citizens of the country pay a humble tribute to those who have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, as also their families.

"When we see police work in a normal way, it looks usual but when we change the perspective we understand that the development strides our country is taking is due to the dedicate and silent service of these policemen," Shah said.

From tackling terrorists to insurgents and Naxals to managing traffic on the road, all is done by the police personnel, he said.

Shah added police forces are responsible for ensuring a strong position and the identity of an emerging power for India in the comity of nations.

"I can assure the police personnel that this memorial will become an institution that will tell the world about the tale of valour of the police personnel of the country, he said.

As per latest data, over35,000 police personnel have been killed in action since independence and during the last about one year time (September, 2018 to August this year) a total of 292 personnel have laid down their lives or died due to unnatural reasons while on duty.

During the event, attended by chiefs and officials of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other central police organisations, Shah launched a new website of the national police memorial.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, this day last year, inaugurated the refurbished national police memorial, including a newly built museum of these forces in khaki.

The memorial is a 30-foot-tall and 238-tonne black granite structure located in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri area.

The day is observed to pay homage to 10 policemen (of the CRPF) killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.

A ceremonial guard of honour by a joint squad of CAPFs was presented during the about 45 minute event.