AP STATE POLICE

Introduction

Increasing population, urbanization, industrialization and better communication has made the job of Policemen even more arduous, risky and unpredictable over the years. Responsible for maintenance of Law and Order, regulating traffic, prevention and detection of crime, VIP security, combating extremism…today a Policeman shoulders multifarious duties and responsibilities. Their job keeps them away from their families and loved ones for hours and many a times even for days. They are second to none when duty calls. All these factors make it imperative that in order to maintain the morale of the force special care is taken of the welfare of the policemen and of their families. Working towards this, the Andhra Pradesh State Police has introduced several schemes to look after the welfare of the Policemen and of their families.

A full fledged division under the direct control of the Inspector General of Police (Welfare), this unit carries various welfare activities under the A.P.State Police Welfare Society. A.P.Police Employees Benevolent and Thrift Mutual Association (Bhadratha), A.P.Police Health Care and Family Welfare Trust (Arogya Bhadratha).

The following funds have been constituted under the aegis of the society and are managed by its Management Committee.

A.P. Police Welfare Fund

The A.P. Police Welfare fund is funded mainly by the periodical grants in aid received from the state government as well as income generated from certain sources like rental of police shopping complexes, donations / contributions from various organizations (which are accepted only with the permission of the state government).

The income gathered from the corpus fund is used for extending interest free loans to the wards of non-gazetted police officers. These loans are granted for the marriage of son/ daughter/ self and dependent sister and for any kind of medical treatment. Apart from these there are numerous activities related to the welfare of Police Personnel and their families which are partially or completely funded by the Central Welfare Fund.

Liberal assistance is given in the form of grant and loan for the establishment of computer training institutes in district police lines or battalion headquarters, so that the children of the police personnel could acquire computer skills and related vocational qualifications. The assistance is also provided for the construction of police rest houses for the non-gazetted police personnel at district headquarters. The visiting policemen can stay at these rest houses on payment of a nominal charge collected to meet the recurring expenditure towards maintenance and upkeep. One such rest house by name "Suvidha Rest House" is also being run at Hyderabad. Apart from this, assistance is also provided for establishing recreation facilities for the police personnel and their families.

Refundable interest-free loans are also provided for establishing LPG godowns and co-operative stores at district/battalion headquarters. From time to time, certain assistance is also provided for arranging medical camps for the police personnel and their family members. A departmental store called "Suvidha" is being run at Hyderabad which aims to supply items of daily necessity to police families at competitive rates.

AP Police Education Fund
The corpus of the A P Police Education Fund is generated from the monthly subscription of Rs 5 and Rs 10 collected from the various ranks of non-gazetted officers and ministerial staff. Out of the corpus and income generated from it, children of police officers, who score good marks, are granted educational grants ranging from Rs I ,000 to Rs 6,000 and loans for higher studies. Three "Police Boys Hostels" are being run to provide free boarding, lodging and educational facilities in the local schools for the orphan police children at Amberpet (Hyderabad), Guntur and Nellore. The entire expenditure of running these hostels is met from the Educational Fund. The admission to these hostels is restricted to the children of deceased non-gazetted police personnel in the age group of8-18 years.

A P Police Widow Fund
The A P Police Widow Fund, managed by the APPW Society, is also made up by monthly subscriptions of Rs 4 & Rs 8 received from the non-gazetted police officers. The widow fund thus collected is used for giving one-time grant of Rs 460 to the widows of the non-gazetted police officers. Apart from the above subscription, the non-gazetted police officers also make one-time contribution of Rs 200 at the time of recruitment and the amount so collected is used for paying a lumpsum corpus amour It of Rs. 10,000 to the widows of the non-gazetted ~olice officers who die in harness. An additional corpus amount ofRs 10,000 is paid, if death happens due to extremist violence.

A P Police Commemoration Day Flag Fund
On the occasion of the Commemoration Day observed on October 2 I of every year, commemoration day flag stickers are sold to the general public for voluntary contribution at Rs 5. The fund so generated is used for extending assistance to the families of deceased police personnel for Medicare and educational need of minor children. Similar benefits are also extended to in-service personnel and their families in emergent situations.

Bhadratha
A comprehensive social security scheme, called "Bhadratha" was introduced on March I, 1997 with the approval of the government vide Memo. No. 15-850/P0 I .A 1/97 -I dated 28- 2 -1997 of the Home Department to provide substantial financial relief to the families of the employees who die in harness.

The association has been registered under the A P (Telangana Area) Public Societies Registration Act and the scheme is managed bya managing committee nominated by DG & IG who is its chairman. The scheme aims at and also provides financial relief to the employees who are permanently disabled or partially disabled due to accident or disease. All these benefits are available out of corpus made by the board, irrespective of the age of the employee.

The nominee of the employee who dies while in service is paid Rs I lakh in case of Rs I 00 and Rs 2 lakh in case of subscription of Rs. 200. An additional ex-gratia of Rs1s,aaa is also paid in case of unnatural death other than suicide. The entire subscription of the employee is also returned to the member on retirement/family members in event of his / her death. An ex -gratia of Rs 15,000 is also paid to a member who sustains total permanent disablement i.e. loss of two limbs either upper or lower, both eyes or total vision loss in both eyes. An ex-gratia of Rs 7,500 is payable in case the member sustains partial permanent disablement i.e. loss of one limb either lower or upper as a result of an accident or disease. The scheme also has a provision to sanction loans at an attractive rate of interest for purchase of a house site, ready built house/ flat, or construction of a house. The loans are also given for purchase of personal computers.

Arogya Bhadratha
The Arogya Bhadratha' Scheme, a self-group health insurance scheme, has been introduced to take care of serious ailments/medical conditions of police personnel and their dependent family members, including those on deputation with other departments: The scheme started functioning from January 15, 1999 is managed by the board trust consists of 1 1 members of whom the DG & IGP is the permanent trustee and ex-officio chairman. Inspector General of Police (Welfare) functions as the vice-chairman for the scheme.

All categories of employees working in the A P Police Department on a regular basis are eligible to become members of the scheme on payment of a monthly subscription amount of Rs 40. Each member is provided with an identity card duly affixing stamp size photograph of the member and his/her family member. The scheme is essentially designed to provide in-patient/out-patient treatment in serious ailments/medical conditions identified and notified by the board trust from time to time. The scheme does not envisage referring members for general check up, routine investigations, diagnostic tests, treatment of common ailments, etc.

The scheme has identified 16 super speciality/ single speciality hospitals, as on date, and these are accredited for the purpose of extending medical treatment to the member employees and their family members for the listed ailments/medical condition. The payment to these hospitals is made as per agreed tariff, which is normally not more than what is charged by the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences. The scheme authorizes the unit officers to refer the patients to the accredited hospitals in terms of G.O. Ms. No.65 dated February 16, 2001, Health, Medical and Family Welfare (K I) Department and as per the laid down norms by the scheme.

Ex-gratia
In addition to the above mentioned welfare measures, the government has introduced other benefits for the families of the police personnel killed by extremists/anti-social elements and while on official duties. The disbursal of benefits granted under these government schemes are also overseen by the Welfare Division of the DGP Office.

Group Personnel Accident Insurance Policy
In view of the increasing risk of life faced by the policemen during the course of their duties, the government has introduced a Group Personnel Accident Policy which pays the entire premium for the same. The officers who receive injuries leading to total/partial disablement are also entitled for 100% and 50% of the sum assured as per the conditions of the Group Personnel Accident Insurance Policy.