An exclusive State-level women protection wing will be set soon to handle cases/complaints pertaining to them, Minister for Home and Disaster Management M. Sucharita has said.
“The exclusive wing is just the beginning of our continuous focus on women safety. It will be headed by a senior officer and be vested with powers to handle issues such as harassment, eve teasing, dowry cases, and missing of minors. A toll-free number will also be allotted to the wing. It will be set up at the A.P. Police Headquarters,” Ms. Sucharita told The Hindu .
“The State Police are also planning to set up more SHE teams and Shakti teams - an all women police teams in the districts, which will function under the proposed women protection wing. The modalities for setting up the wing are being worked out,” the Home Minister said.
The initiative is in addition to the exclusive women battalions, which are among the four new battalions that have been given administrative sanction.
New battalions
A tribal battalion and two general battalions will be constituted with ₹55 crore allocated by the Centre, which the previous government has not utilised.
Recruitments
“Filling vacancies in the department is also high on the agenda of the government,” the Home Minister said, adding that 12,800 vacancies in the constable / SI category would be filled and a notification in this regard would be issued soon, she said.
The Home Minister said welfare of policemen / women was yet another major priority. All the police stations in the State would be provided with basic amenities such separate washrooms and adequate furniture.
Ms. Sucharita, the first Dalit Home Minister of the State, said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had scripted a new history by giving her an opportunity to serve as Home Minister.
“I will live up to his expectations and discharge my duties in an impartial manner,” she added.
