Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Police Welfare Branch has implemented new rules for staff recruitment and tenure with effect from the New Year. Police Headquarters (PHQ) has decided to restrict postings in police welfare branches to a maximum of five years during an officer’s entire service.
This comes after financial irregularities and scams worth crores of rupees were detected last year in the Welfare Branch situated at several field units
During a meeting of the Police Advisory Committee last year, questions were raised over the prolonged tenure of personnel in the Welfare Branch, and a proposal to replace staff every two years was discussed. Thereafter, new guidelines have been issued regarding the service period of staff working in the Welfare Branches of the PHQ, District Force, SAF, GRP, battalions and other units.
The 112 Welfare Branch handles across the state all activities related to staff welfare, including approval of loans, financial assistance and medical expenses during illness.
As per the order issued by Special Director General of Police Anil Kumar, all units have been instructed to limit each posting in the welfare branch to a maximum of three years at a time. Personnel currently serving in the branch for more than three years will be replaced.Besides, no police officer shall be posted in the Welfare Branch for more than five years in total over the course of their service.
In-house employment
The Welfare Branch has decided that only unemployed family members dependent on police families will be employed in all units operating petrol pumps, canteens, cooperative credit societies, crèches, police hospitals, and dispensaries. The heads of the respective units have been instructed to provide these jobs through outsourcing. It has also been decided that no new constables will be posted in the Welfare Branch under any circumstances.
Staff limit set
It has been observed that many police personnel have been attached to petrol pumps, canteens, and societies operated by the Welfare Branch for years. As a result, more personnel are attached than necessary, leaving the district force and battalions short of staff. Now it has been decided that no more than three police personnel will be posted in any canteen, and no more than two in any credit society or petrol pump.
