Andhra Pradesh to spend Rs 3,400 crore on police

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government will spend over Rs 3,400 crore to beef up the police administration. This includes, building police stations, fire stations, office buildings of the director general of police, the criminal investigation department and the greyhounds.

Deputy Chief Minister N. China Rajappa, who is also the home minister, said work on construction of office buildings for the DGP, CID, greyhounds among others, would commence only after the formal announcement of the location for the capital city.

To begin with, the home department will set up 35 fire stations in an equal number of Assembly constituencies. Each fire station will cost Rs 1.50 crore. Of the 175 Assembly segments, only 35 do not have fire stations. The existing fire stations would be revamped. There are some fishermen’s villages, where big fire tenders cannot go in. Here mi-ni fire engines with a home guard will be provided.

It is mandatory for all new college and hospital buildings being constructed to obtain a “No Objection Certificate or Clearance” from the fire services department. “This rule will be enfo-rced strictly. Failure would attract severe action,” the home minister said.

Vehicles will be purchased for the police by spending Rs 100 crore in the first phase. About 85 cyclone shelters in addition to the existing 1,130 cyclone shelters would be constructed at a cost of '32 crore, each having the capacity to accommodate 500 people.

“The National Disaster Management Force and its training institute will be set up at Mangalagiri, and its state-level unit in Kakina-da. About 50 acres of land in Mangalagiri and 10 acres in Kakinada have been allotted for the purpose,” the Deputy Chief Minister said and added that they have initiated steps to get the pending '2,400 crore grant for national disaster management training and institute from the Centre.

AP is seeking Rs 3,400 crore from the Centre that has promised to provide money for police infrastructure development in the residuary state after bifurcation. Over 7,000 vacant posts of constables and sub-inspectors will also be filled soon.

“On a pilot basis, we have set up a cell-cum helpline with phone number ‘199’ in Kakinada for women in distress to call on this number. On receipt of a call, the inspector, the DSP and local police station personnel will be alerted to go to the rescue of the caller. This is on a trial basis, and based on its success, it will be extended to the entire state,” Mr China rajappa said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the BC Commission will be set up with a retired High Court judge and it will be given the target to complete the exercise of including the Kapus in BC reservation list in six months, without causing any loss to the existing BC reservation quota.