Vijayawada. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said his government will clear the outstanding bills of the police department worth Rs 763 crore and also promised to recruit 6,100 constables. The Chief Minister gave this assurance on the occasion of Police Memorial Day at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada. During his speech on Police Memorial Day, Naidu said, the previous government (YSRCP) has not paid the bills of more than Rs 763 crore of the police department.
Decisions will be taken in a phased manner to cooperate with the police department and all those bills will be paid. Terming investment in the police department as equivalent to investment in the state, the Chief Minister said that he has always given importance to it and has supported it. According to Naidu, the state government has paid the pending bills of the department worth Rs 100 crore within 125 days of coming to power. Stressing the need to provide latest technology to the police department, Naidu said policemen cannot fight criminals with old-fashioned technical equipment. Naidu said that only when we gain edge over criminals in terms of surveillance and technology, we will be able to control them.
He promised to make reforms and bring advanced technology. He accused the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of using the police department as a tool of political oppression.
Criticizing Reddy, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief said the former chief minister could not release Rs 700 crore to the police department, but allegedly spent Rs 700 crore on stones bearing his (Reddy) photograph. Assuring importance of giving importance to police welfare, the Chief Minister also promised to provide at least Rs 20 crore every year and construct a facility center in Amravati to celebrate the next Police Commemoration Day. Naidu said, “I pay tribute to the policemen martyred on duty. I assure you that I will always stand with those policemen who do justice and respect the officers.