Goa cops get cycle allowance: Rs 20

Goa cops get cycle allowance: Rs 20
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Terrorists have gone hitech, but the Goa government still expects its constables and hawaldars to go patrolling on bicycles.
How else can one explain the Rs 20 policemen below the rank of assistant sub-inspector get as cycle allowance? ASIs and inspectors are paid Rs 60 a month as conveyance allowance.
This, at a time when the cost of a litre of petrol is around Rs 50 and a beat constable has to cover about 35 km a day. A constable’s basic salary is about Rs 3,050, while that of a hawaldar is Rs 4,050.
“In certain police stations, constables get Rs 100 and head constables are paid Rs 150 as permanent travel allowance, which depends on the area they have to cover. Not every police station has the benefit,” said SP (headquarters) Omprakash Kudchadkar.
The police department also provides Rs 1,500 as interest free loan to constables and hawaldars to purchase cycles. And a police officer completing 12 years in service is entitled to an interestfree loan of Rs 30,000 to purchase a motorbike.
SP (North) Bosco George said, “Rather than a conveyance allowance, the government should provide vehicles to beat constables. The onus would then be on the beat constable to perform.” WOEFULLY ILL-EQUIPPED
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Panaji: Policemen also complain that though police stations have been allotted vehicles, most of them are eight to nine years old and in urgent need of repair.
In North Goa, there are 15 jeeps allotted to 12 police stations. Of these, Panaji, Ponda and Mapusa have been allotted two jeeps each, but one each in Panaji and Ponda have been under repairs for almost a month now.
Besides, say police officials, there are 15 PCR vans in North, of which five have been sent for repairs and of the 70 motorcycles, 16 are fit for condemnation.
In South, all 38 motorcycles and 10 of the 26 jeeps have been recommended for condemnation.
“The government doesn’t understand the practical difficulties faced by a policeman. Basic facilities are not provided, yet the police are expected to work 24x7.
“Till the time a policeman is expected to pay from his pocket for patrolling, no beat system will be successful,” said retired IGP PV Sinari.
Policemen in Goa, which is currently on red alert following blasts in other parts of the country, are doing their job without adequate government vehicles.
It is little consolation that constables and hawaldars are paid a cycle allowance of Rs 20 every month. It is a different matter altogether that officials who go out of their jurisdiction on duty are given a travel allowance.
Advocating vehicles for the police, superintendent of police (SP) (South) Shekhar Prabhudessai said, “Once beat constables are given vehicles, they will have a sense of responsibility as it would be convenient for them to cover the beat area.”

September 18, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition