CM requests PM to consider pay parity of IPS with IAS officers

Patna, May 22 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to consider the grievances of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers over the alleged discrimination in their pay pay packages as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Kumar said there were some anomalies in the pay structure of the IPS officers from Bihar cadres and it should be considered sympathetically.

He highlighted the role of police personnel in maintaining law and order and advocated that considering their importance in governance, their grievances should be addressed with empathy.

Mr Kumar made a brief comment on the demands of the IPS officers in the meeting with the top police officers of the state.

Earlier, a delegation of the IPS officers, led by the ADG (Training) Shafi Alam, had called on Mr Kumar and apprised him of their grievances.

Through a memorandum, the IPS officers drew the attention of Mr Kumar towards the Commission's bias which, according to them, had given some benefits to the IAS officers, ignoring the interests of IPS officers.

Alongwith his letter, Mr Kumar also forwarded the memorandum to the Prime Minister in which it had been pointed out that the Commission had proposed a significant edge to the IAS officers at different scales on the basis that they faced the pressure of frequent transfers.

The memorandum dubbed the Commission's basis ''far from reality'' and mentioned that the IPS officers too were exposed to similar service conditions.

Besides, the IPS officers had to face life-threatening situations in dealing with extremism, organised crime and insurgency.

The memorandum further mentioned that three upright IPS officers had laid down their lives in Bihar while combating extremists and organised crime as maintenance of law and order was also a key factor for development and progress of the country.

''Ironically, the Commission has ignored this reality and chosen to widen the existing disparity in pay structures of IPS and IAS,'' the memorandum stated.

UNI RS-KKS DPM/src1605