Jharkhand Government Promises Contract Extension and Relaxations for Agitating Police Assistants

The Jharkhand government has appealed to contractual police assistants to end their protests, promising a one-year extension of their services and various relaxations in police department appointments. While direct recruitment is not feasible, special age concessions and an honorarium hike have been assured following peaceful conduct.

The Jharkhand government on Friday appealed to the protesting contractual police assistants to end their ongoing agitation, promising an extension of their services by a year.

The assistants are demanding direct recruitment into the police department along with an increase in their honorarium.

''We have assured the delegation that they will receive relaxations in various police department appointments. Specifically, they will be granted age relaxation and other concessions when applying for constable positions in excise, home guard, jail sipahi, and fire services,'' Raj Kumar Mallick, Additional Director General at police headquarters, told reporters.

The agitating special police officers (SPOs) who were camping near the CM's residence to press for their demands went to Morabadi ground later. They were holding demonstrations in the ground for around one week.

Ranchi SSP Chandan Kumar Sinha and senior officials are urging the agitators to end their stir.

According to eyewitnesses, police resorted to mild lathicharge to control the agitators near the CM's residence.

Earlier, Principal Secretary (Home) Vandana Dadel and DGP Ajay Kumar Singh held talks with a delegation of agitating SPOs urging them to end their agitation.

Mallick clarified that while direct induction into the police force is not feasible, special provisions such as age relaxation will be provided to allow them to compete fairly with other candidates.

''They were informed that recruitments for another 6,500 posts in the police department would be held soon and they are eligible to appear for it. Besides, we assured them to extend their tenure, which comes to an end on August 9, by one year if they end their agitation,'' he said.

He added, ''We have assured them to raise their honorarium by 25 per cent, contingent upon their disciplined conduct during the agitation and prompt return to their duties.'' Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha also urged the SPOs to end their agitation, saying that the government has agreed to most of their demands including hike in honorarium and giving relaxations in further appointments in excise, forest, and police departments.

He said the administration has made all arrangements to control any untoward activity including deployment of magistrates and police personnel besides taking other measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)