BHUBANESWAR: Though the government is yet to fill the 17% vacancies in different ranks of Odisha Police, MLAs cutting across party lines on Monday expressed concern over the delay in the opening of new police stations and outposts.
During the question hour, several MLAs from the BJD, BJP and Congress said there has been a spurt in crimes owing to inadequate number of police stations in the state.
Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra said it is unfortunate that the government is yet to take any action on the issue despite speaker Surya Narayan Patro having directed it to address the matter earlier.
Responding to the queries of the MLAs, minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra said the issue of opening more police stations and outposts in the state is under the consideration of the state government.
“We have received representations from several MLAs for opening as many as 68 new police stations and 103 new outposts. The setting up of new police stations and finalising the limits of their operations is a lengthy process. We are considering the issue,” Mishra said.
Taking note of the concern of the MLAs, the speaker asked Mishra to hold a meeting with the home secretary, the director general of police and the crime branch on the issue and make a statement in the house. In a separate written reply to the house, Mishra said as many as 11,456 posts of different ranks in Odisha Police have been lying vacant as on August 1.
