Maharashtra Police Recruitment Picked Up Pace Under his Tenure as Home Minister: Fadnavis

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fnavis on Friday said more than 40,000 police personnel were recruited during time he heed home department, and called it a "record".

He said wher it was his first tenure as home minister or current one, maximum police recruitment took place in state under his stewardship as different vacant posts in key department were filled.

senior BJP leer joined cabinet heed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in 2022 and was allotted home ministry. As Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019 also, Fnavis h helmed home department.

"More than 40,000 police recruitments were carried out during my tenure as home minister. It is a record of sorts. We filled all s of positions, ensuring re was no shortage of workforce in police department," noted Fnavis.

He emphasised a qualitative change was being brought about in police department to ensure impending challenges are tackled effectively.

Fnavis was speaking at an event in Pune where he eir inaugurated or performed ground-breaking ceremony for various projects under state home department.

completed or upcoming projects, worth more than Rs 700 crore, included inauguration of seven new police stations, launch of 'CCTV Phase II,' ground-breaking for a new building for Pune city Commissionerate and a new building for Bund Garden police station.

Also, 50-acre land has been acquired by government for Pimpri-Chinchw police commissionerate.

Online inauguration of Assistant Commissioner of Police Office, Tulinj (Palghar district), and Bolinj police station under Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate also took place on occasion.

Fnavis said Pune is a rapidly expanding city, and with large-scale urbanization comes with a host of challenges, including an increase in crime.

"Since 1960, no changes h been me regarding framework determining number of police and police establishments per citizen. After 63 years, in 2023, we undertook task of creating a new framework and initiated establishment of new police stations. As part of this, seven new police stations were inaugurated in Pune today," he pointed out.

home minister informed that work is also underway to set up a modern forensic laboratory.

"ditionally, state has opted a 'No Tolerance Policy' against crimes against women and children, and drugs. Policing is evaluated based on how many crimes are solved and how safe people feel," he maintained.

Given rising number of vehicles in Pune, an ditional commissioner-rank officer has been assigned with an ditional DCP for supervising and managing ro traffic in city, deputy CM said. 

With PTI Inputs