The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, March 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Cops under trial to get due promotions
CM announces sops for police personnel
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh interacts with police officers of Punjab at the passing-out parade of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy at Phillaur, near Ludhiana, on Wednesday.
— Tribune Photo Pankaj Sharma

Phillaur , March 27
Announcing a number of welfare schemes for Punjab Police personnel, including free bus travel, monetary benefits equivalent to defence personnel, special grants for the marriage of their daughters among others the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, today announced here that Sikh detainees languishing in jails for the past more than a decade without any trial would be tried and their cases decided at the earliest.

The Chief Minister also announced that the government had decided to give due promotions to all officers facing criminal charges relating to the terrorism period of militancy. He said the government was of the view that until an officer was convicted there was no point in withholding his promotion.

The Chief Minister made these announcements while addressing trainees and senior police officers of the state at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy here today. The Chief Minister also awarded the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service to three police officers and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 23 police officers. The Chief Minister also gave awards to trainees coming first in different courses. As many as 440 trainees passed out of the academy.

Giving enough reasons to cheer to the police, the Chief Minister said it was unfortunate that the great work and sacrifices made by police personnel in combating terrorism in the state had been forgotten and a number of benefits given to them withdrawn. He said his government was committed to boosting the morale of the force and announced several welfare schemes for them.

The Chief Minister said while the war heroes or the families of the martyrs were given plots, there was no such scheme for police personnel. He announced that the families of those police personnel who had laid down their lives while on duty would be given plots by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA). The special scholarship given to such families was discontinued in 1997 and the Congress government had decided to re-start the benefit. He said the dues of the past years might also be given. He said the government had also decided to initiate a process of giving almost all benefits to police personnel and their families as given to the families of martyrs or war heroes of defence forces.

The Chief Minister also announced that special monetary help would be given to such families for the marriage of their daughters. The crowd consisting mainly of police personnel and their families gave a loud applause when the Chief Minister announced that the police personnel would be entitled to free bus travel which was discontinued by the previous government in the state.

In another significant move aimed to streamlining the working of the Police Department, the Chief Minister announced that 18 posts of SP and 32 new posts of the DSP had been created. He said it was being felt that these posts were required for the better maintenance of law and order in the state.

The Chief Minister made a special reference of a religious book ‘‘Japu ji-ek vichar’’ penned by Dy. Director (General) PPA, Phillaur, Iqbal Singh. The Chief Minister also released the book and called upon the younger generation to imbibe the religious saying in true spirit in their life as explained in the book. He also honoured Mr T S Dhillon for his service as Dy. Director (outdoor) in PPA. Mr Dhillon is a shooter of international repute.

Later responding to questions, Capt. Amarinder Singh said the schemes would not have much financial burden. He said his government was also concerned about the Sikh youths languishing in various jails without any trial. ‘‘It is very unfair. My heart weeps for them’’. the Chief Minister said announcing that the process to start their trial had begun.

President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service;
Mr Narinderpal Singh, IPS, SSP Amritsar, Mr Kanwarjit Singh, PPS, CPO, Punjab, Mr Harchand Singh Sidhu, IPS, SP Crime, Punjab, Chandigarh,

Police Medal for Meritorious Service;
Mr Sukhdial Singh Bhullar, IPS, IGP/INT, Punjab, Chandigarh (now retd.), Mr Kartar Singh, IPS, Director Sports, Punjab, Chandigarh, Mr Tehal Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, Comdt. 5th CDO Bn. Bhg, Patiala, Mr Paramjit Singh Gill, IPS, ADC to Governor, Punjab, Chandigarh, Mr Paramjit Singh Grewal, IPS, SP/VB, Patiala, Mr Rajinder Kumar Sharda, PPS, Comdt. 80th Bn. PAP, Jalandhar, Mr Pawan Kumar Uppal, PPS, SP, Hqrs. Nawan Shehar, Mr Swaran Singh, PPS, DSP/CID, Punjab, Chandigarh, Mr S.S. Boparai, PPS, DSP, City, Patiala, Insp. Narinder Singh, Insp. Balwinder Singh, Insp. Avtar Singh, S.I. Chaman Lal, S.I. Gurcharan Singh, S.I. (Orp) Harbans Singh. S.I. (Orp) Sita Ram, ASI, Om Parkash, ASI Mukhtiar Singh, ASI (Orp) Kulwinder Singh, C-II, Pirthipal Singh, Atma Singh, CT, Ram Dass.