Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that the State Government has enacted a strict law against online gaming and gambling with the sole objective of protecting the health and peace of mind of poor families.
Speaking at the Police Commemoration Day at Old CAR Grounds in Hubballi on Thursday after paying tributes to police martyrs, he said that the stringent law has been brought in to prevent youths from taking the extreme step after losing all their money in online games. The law facilitated strict action against gambling clubs too, he said.
The Chief Minister said that for the growth and prosperity of the nation, internal security and peace are very much essential and it is everyone’s responsibility to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of police personnel who laid down their lives while on duty.
Commending the police personnel and officials for their selfless service, the Chief Minister said that the government is ready to extend all facilities to them apart from reviving several welfare schemes meant for them.
“Earlier, there was a feeling that promotion and other benefits were only meant for senior officials. Now, it has been extended to lower cadre also. Nearly 16,000 police personnel are being recruited and grants have been provided for covering police personnel under Arogya Bhagya scheme. Several reforms too have been introduced along with pay revision,” he said.
Mr. Bommai said that while 10,000 residential quarters for the police personnel have been constructed, it has been planned to construct 11,000 more houses. While the police ensured safety of citizens, the citizens are also required to cooperate with them in ensuring maintenance of law and order, he said.
Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, Member of Legislative Assembly Prasad Abbayya, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil, Additional Director-General of Police Pratap Reddy, Inspector-General of Police Alok Kumar, South Western Railway General Manager Sanjeev Kishore and others placed wreaths at the police memorial to pay tributes to police martyrs.
Earlier, Police Commissioner Labhu Ram read out a list of 377 police officials and martyrs who laid down their lives while on duty between October 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021 in the country. Of them, 16 belong to Karnataka.
In Dharwad
Paying tributes to police martyrs during the Police Commemoration Day in Dharwad, Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University K.G. Gudasi emphasised the need for remembering police personnel who were responsible for the common people sleeping peacefully at night. He also stressed the need for people to cooperate with police personnel in maintenance of law and order.
Superintendent of Police of Dharwad P. Krishnakant read out the names of police martyrs. Deputy Conservator of Forest Yashpal Ksheersagar, Joint Director of Gungargatti Forest Academy Sonal Vrushni, various police officials, assistant directors of various departments and journalists laid wreaths at the martyrs memorial and paid tributes.
