VRS For Around 300 Assam Police Personnel For Consuming Excessive Alcohol: Assam CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said around 300 officers of the Assam police who are habitual drinkers can avail the provision of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the public has serious complaints against such errant police personnel

Source : Pallav Bora

Guwahati: The Assam government will offer voluntary retirement to around 300 officers of the Assam Police, who are “habitual drinkers”, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.  As per the Chief Minister, police personnel who are habitual drinkers and drink too heavily have an adverse performance on their service, with the public having serious complaints against such errant police personnel.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the process to fill up the vacancies has already begun and new recruitment will take place soon.

The Chief Minister said, “Around 300 officers of the Assam police are habitual drinkers and consumption of excessive alcohol has damaged their bodies. The state government has a provision of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for them.”  

Chief Minister Sarma added that though it is an old rule, it had not been implemented as yet.

Chief Minister Sarma said that he is also working on decentralization of governance and thus has set in motion the process for opening offices with powers that were previously vested with the Deputy Commissioners’ (DC) office in all 126 legislative assembly constituency areas.

“We are trying to ensure that the people don’t have to travel to the district headquarters travelling a long way for any work to get it done at the DC’s office, rather it is available in every Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) area. 

CM Sarma further said, “The DCs will look after law and order and they will be given different responsibilities.”

The Assam government is contemplating a major overhaul of the administration and is all set to convert each and every district in the state to administrative and economics.

The new initiative will begin in the state administration once the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to complete two years in office in coming May.

Chief Minister Sarma has also called for a three-day meeting with the Deputy Commissioners to have a discussion for a revamp of the issue.

It has been reportedly scheduled to take place between May 12 and 14 later this year in the Tinsukia district of the state.

The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.