Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday took the opposition parties to task for criticising the state government on the issue of salary hike for police.
File photo of CM Siddaramaiah
Intervening in a debate in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah said that neither the recruitment to fill up vacancies nor the salary hike for police was done during the regime of BJP and JD(S). “We are also concerned about the problems of the police in the state. No government has taken measures to increase salary for the police. Jagadish Shettar was the chief minister but did nothing to increase the salary for police. Why had Shettar forgotten about the problems of police when he was the chief minister?’’ Siddaramaiah asked.
The chief minister said the state government had taken measures for the welfare of police. “We will submit Raghavendra Auradkar Committee report to the Pay Commission that is expected to be constituted in March next year,’’ the chief minister informed.
Participating in the debate, Jagadish Shettar, Leader of Opposition, C T Ravi (BJP) and Y S V Datta (JDS) questioned the objective of constituting Raghavendra Auradkar Committee if the Pay Commission would decide on the increase of salary for the police. They demanded the government to increase the salary of police by 30 per cent and criticised the decision to increase the conveyance by Rs 2,000 only.
Rajeev P said the condition of the police in the state had turned worse since the constitution of Raghavendra Auradkar Committee. “Earlier, police used to get Rs 700 worth essential commodities but now the government has decided to give Rs 400 as allowance instead of supplying essential commodities. Now, the police department has made police availing weekly off mandatory and cancelled the allowance of Rs 200 for working without taking a weekly off. I want the government to increase the conveyance to Rs 10,000 from Rs 2,000,’’ Rajeev said.
Earlier, replying to a query from C T Ravi, Minister for Home Dr G Parameshwara said that no government had taken measures to increase the salary of police during the last 40 years. “Now everyone started expressing concern as soon as our government started taking measures for the welfare of police in the state,’’ Dr Parameshwara remarked.
The home minister said the decision to increase conveyance for police would come into effect from December 1. “The demand for the salary hike for police will be resolved by the Pay Commission to be constituted next year. We will submit Raghavendra Auradkar Committee report to the Pay Commission,’’ the minister reiterated.
