Maharashtra Police Recruitment Picked Up Pace Under My Leadership: Fadnavis

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

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

The senior BJP leader joined the cabinet headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in 2022 and was allotted the home ministry. As Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019 also, Fadnavis had helmed the 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 types of positions, ensuring there was no shortage of workforce in the police department," noted Fadnavis.

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

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

The completed or upcoming projects, worth more than Rs 700 crore, included inauguration of seven new police stations, the 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 the government for the Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate.

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

Fadnavis 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 had been made regarding the framework determining the number of police and police establishments per citizen. After 63 years, in 2023, we undertook the task of creating a new framework and initiated the establishment of new police stations. As part of this, seven new police stations were inaugurated in Pune today," he pointed out.

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

"Additionally, the state has adopted 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 the rising number of vehicles in Pune, an additional commissioner-rank officer has been assigned with an additional DCP for supervising and managing road traffic in the city, the deputy CM said.