Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, who is also the Home Minister, has assured that salaries of Police Constables will be increased to match the salaries of Revenue Inspectors.

Speaking to media persons after chairing a progress review meeting with senior officials of Home Department at the office of City Police Commissioner here recently, the Dy.CM said that he had already recommended the State Government to ensure better salary for Police constables.

He said that new pay scale will be implemented in the Sixth Pay Commission. The pay scale of Policemen has been revised based on reports submitted to the government by senior Police Officer Raghavendra Auradkar-led Committee.

This Committee was  constituted by the State Government in 2016 to study the pay scales of Policemen.

However, the State Government has provided a monthly allowance of Rs. 2,000 to Policemen even before the committee recommendations, he added.

Parameshwara said that as many as 75,000 Police constables have been working as against the sanctioned 1.06 lakh posts.

This means, over 18,331 Police personnel are working against the sanctioned 24,875 posts in Bengaluru Commissionerate alone.

Still, 6,500 posts are vacant in Bengaluru. Recently, the government had recruited one-and-a-half thousand Policemen and they are at present undergoing training.

The Dy.CM further said that State Government is also spending Rs. 2,872 crore for the construction of Police quarters at various places. These accommodation facilities will be constructed in three stages.

Police tighten night patrolling network

He said the department has also tightened night patrolling for better law and order maintenance.

Instructions have been given to Policemen to maintain the records of tenants and owners in their jurisdiction. These measures have been taken to check theft, house burglaries and other illegal activities in residential areas, he said.

Foreign nationals arrested

As many as 107 foreigners were illegally residing in Karnataka and the home department has sought the permission from Union Ministry of External Affairs to deport them to their countries. The department has also caught some foreign nationals in drug peddling cases.

Installation of high-definition cameras

Parameshwara has also said the department has also successfully installed 37 high-definition security cameras at various sensitive locations in Bengaluru. Preparations are afoot to install 300 more such cameras in other parts of the State.

The department has also provided 50 body-worn cameras to traffic constables to help them gather visuals to produce them as evidence before Courts. Such cameras will be given to all traffic Police cops in the coming days.

Goonda Act to be invoked on drug peddlers

He said that the department has been invoking Goonda Act on chain snatchers and drug peddlers. So far, Police had invoked Goonda Act on 14 persons in Bengaluru. ACPs and DCPs will be held responsible if chain snatching and drug peddling increases.

Measures to tackle cyber crimes

Parameshwara also said that State has maintained a good track-record in handling cyber crimes when compared to other States. Measures have been taken to expand the training to Policemen so that they can handle complicated cases. Experts from Germany will impart the training, he added.