Police to get military-style canteen in Mangalore, Puttur

City and district police personnel could use the facilities in either stores

The 2,000-odd policemen from Mangalore Police Commissionerate and the Dakshina Kannada district will have the facility of ‘canteen’ – a storehouse from where they can purchase various commodities at far lower rates than market rates – in Mangalore and Puttur in the next few weeks. Canteen is a commonly used term for such a store usually meant for Defence personnel.

A similar canteen has already been set up for the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel in Assaigoli near Mangalore University.

The State government intends to set up canteens for policemen across the State. Policemen will be able to get household items and electronic gadgets such as television and refrigerators at a rate subsidised by about 40 per cent.

The State government approved the proposal of having one canteen for the Mangalore City police and another for the District Police. Following a meeting here in Mangalore, it was decided to set up a canteen behind the office of the Police Commissioner and another canteen in Puttur.

Police Commissioner R. Hithendra said 1,100-odd city police personnel would be making use of the canteen in the city. In addition, this canteen can be used by personnel from the District Armed Reserve and those working in the office of Superintendent of Police. Superintendent of Police Sharanappa S.D. said personnel in Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady will be using the facility in Puttur. “There is an option for making use of either of two canteens,” he said. All the policemen will be issued smart cards to be used at these canteens, he added.

The city canteen will come up at the old restaurant where breakfast and lunch for the police was being provided. Structural changes are being done in the building, which is now not operational, to provide household articles to policemen. Mr. Hithendra said the civil works would be completed in another 15 days, which will be followed wood works. “We are likely to start its operation by November,” he said. Similar work was in progress done in Puttur.

Around 500 personnel in the KSRP in Asaigoli are using the canteen that began in August. Apart from household articles like bathing soaps, shampoos and detergents, the canteen provides condiments and electronic goods. The canteen was getting articles from nearly 400 firms registered with the Central Police Canteen, said an official from the KSRP.