SHIMLA, July 1 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, today announced a special allowance to the police personnel in the Vigilance and Enforcement departments on the pattern of the state CID. This would benefit the caders from constables to DSPs both wings of the department and put a financial burden of about Rs 7 lakh on state exchequer.

Mr Dhumal was presiding over a meeting of state-level Joint Advisory and Welfare Committee of Police Department here today.

The Chief Minister also agreed in principle to examine the case to provide protection to all police personnel under CrPC 197 in the discharge of their duties.

Mr Dhumal said his government had always tried to solve the problems of police personnel keeping in view the important role played by them in maintaining law and order and also in providing protection to the people. He said credibility of the police also reflected the credibility of the government as they were the real representatives of the government.

Exhorting the police force to maintain discipline and dignity of the uniform, Mr Dhumal said police personnel should be courteous to the common man and work honestly to instil confidence among people. The police should be a friend of common man and a terror for culprits, he said.

The Chief Minister said the government had provided employment to 55 dependents of police personnel on compassionate grounds and names of 36 more had been recommended. He said these appointments had been provided in the departments other than Police Department as they could not be appointed in the department for not fulfilling certain necessary requirements.

He also assured that matching grant for promotion of sports activities in the Police Department would continue keeping in view its importance in a disciplined force. He said government had also given three per cent reservation to outstanding sportsmen in the government services.

He said in order to meet the shortage of police personnel in police stations, more recruitments would be made in near future.

Referring to the housing problem being faced by police personnel, Mr Dhumal said his government had given utmost priority to it since it took over in 1998. He said government would ensure that all police personnel got houses in the state.

He said other demands of the police personnel would also be considered sympathetically by the government. Mr Ajay Prasad, Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Home) said government would do its best for the welfare of police personnel. Mr T.R. Mahajan, Director General of Police, thanked the Chief Minister for his liberal attitude for strengthening the police organisation in the state and raising uniform grant, washing allowance of police personnel.