In a recent cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the establishment of a state-of-the-art police dog training center at Mauje Gojubavi in Baramati taluka, Pune district, was given the green light. The decision comes as the existing dog training center in Pune faces dilapidation, lacking essential training facilities.
Currently, Pune's dog squad comprises 350 dogs, serving various roles such as crime detection, bomb detection, narcotics detection, guard duty, patrol. However, only 20 dogs and handlers are currently trained in Pune due to limitations.
Simultaneous training of 50 dogs
The newly approved training center aims to address this shortfall by accommodating the simultaneous training of 50 dogs. Spanning an area of approximately 7 hectares, the center also plans to extend its services to organisations like the Forest Department, Excise Duty, Jails, and SDRF, allowing them to train their dogs. Additionally, there are plans to initiate a dog breeding center at this location.
To facilitate the centre's operations, two new positions will be created—one Veterinary Officer and one Assistant Veterinary Officer. The proposed budget for this initiative is set at ₹56.76 crores.