PANAJI
Here’s the epitome of efficiency in our police department! Each trainee recruit constable at the Police Training School (PTS) in Valpoi has four different sets of uniforms, allegedly sourced from four suppliers, and guess what their prices are?
Well, within these eight months of their ongoing training, it increased at a pace nobody would imagine.
In fact, the first two sets which were provided for routine exercises including training sessions within the training campus cost each trainee around Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500 respectively.
Reliable sources told The Goan that while the first uniform set was supplied by a local dealer in South Goa, the department thought it would be wise to utilize the services of another supplier and tendered it to a supplier from Nasik.
The third set, which the trainees are wearing for the National Games duty, is apparently costing around Rs 1,800. Finally, the department is saving the best for the last -- the ceremonial dress which would soon arrive at a cost of Rs 2000 to Rs 3,000.
So who pays for these uniform sets? Sources said the trainees have to bear the cost. “The department deducts the amount from each of the trainee’s salaries…because in any case, recruits have to deposit a certain amount before the training. It includes mess charges, training facilities, kits, etc,” the official said.
Not the uniform kits only, each trainee recruit constable is also equipped with a full-fledged kit of around 30-35 articles, price of which is calculated separately.
In all, the official said, the trainee has to shell out around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 until they clear the training including the “musketry training.”
Having said this, the other batch from the same force -- getting trained in the Delhi Police Training Academy (DPTA) -- are provided with the uniform sets by the academy officials.
Around 900 constable recruits began their training mid-March with around 374 undergoing training at PTS, the remaining 500-odd at DPTA.
