Implementing the concept of community policing coupled with unique governance reforms in true spirit, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today dedicated 108 new Saanjh kendras (3 at Sub-pisional Level and 105 at Police Station level) constructed at the cost of Rs. 15.50 crore by symbolically inaugurating a Saanjh Kendra here at Model Town.Today presiding over a state level function held at Nehru Sidhant Kendra, Mr. Badal reiterated his commitment to change the public perception about police functioning and said that the setting up of these Saanjh Kendras was aimed at providing various police related services to the public in a corporate look centre and that too in a prescribed time frame.He said that “when I assumed office as the Home Minister of Punjab, people scared to go Police Stations and I had decided to change the perception about police with administrative reforms in Punjab Police functioning.”
Terming the Saanjh Kendras as the biggest success of SAD-BJP government, the Deputy Chief Minister said that Pakistan and Indian Union Government were following the lines of Punjab in this regard as a team from Pakistan is coming to read out the concept and functioning of these kendras where as Union Government has decided to make it a part of planning. He said that when the chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan) Mian Shabaj Sharif visited Punjab during the World Kabbadi Cup than he had visited the saanjh Kendra at Ludhiana.
Promising a paperless administration in a year, Mr. Badal said that till the end of 2014, Punjab would be the first state having the “Online” service delivery instead of “Inline” as process has been started for E-District projects across the Punjab from Mansa and Mohali. He said that “some people talked about Lok Pal to eliminate corruption, but I think Lok Pal alone would not be able to wipe out this disease and we have to computerized the whole system”. He said that “ corruption happened when common man came into the contact of Government officials but if Governments could provide all services online than there would be interaction between people and Government officials, resulting in the end of corruption”.
The Deputy Chief Minister has also said that Punjab Government has decided to change the irrelevant laws implemented by the Britishers as now these are only the “speed breakers” to the Development process of the state.He informed that the at present, 3085 police persons were working in the Saanjh Kendras and have been given special training in soft skills. Besides this, public has also been given due representation and committees have been formed at all Saanjh Kendras in which 1277 public persons were members, he added.Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP government in year 2013-14 budget had earmarked Rs. 15.50 crore for setting up of these 108 Saanjh Kendras and now the state have 254 Saanjh Kendras (93 at Sub-pisional Level and 161 at Police Station level).He revealed that through Saanjh Kendras, public has been provided delivery of 27 police related services out of which 22 are under the Right to Service Act, 2011. Till date, over 25 lakh applications for various services have been received at Saanjh Kendras, out of which, over 99.63% have been delivered within the prescribed time limit.
The Deputy Chief Minister has also honoured the 7 Officials who had played the major role in the success story of Saanjh Kendras, namely IPS Kuldeep Singh, IPS Paramjit Singh Gill, IPS Harsh Bansal, ASI Darbara Singh, Pritpal Singh CEO, Harwinder Singh and Daljeet Singh both Architects. It was also announced by the Deputy Chief Minister that Punjab Government would hounoured the dedicated police personals on Independence Day for dedicated service in citizen service delivery.Later replying to a question about the Amritsar incident, The Deputy Chief Minister said that “it was very unfortunate and a stern action would be taken against the erring officials”. He said that “these kinds of acts would not be tolerated by the Punjab Government”.
Talking about the presence of AAP in Punjab, Mr. Badal said that “in Democracy everybody has a right to fight election and I want to say “Best of Luck” to all of them”. Earlier speaking on the occasion, Mr. SK Sharma, ADGP/HRD & Community Affairs informed that the concept of Community Policing took roots in Punjab Police in the year 2010-11 when the Government allocated Rs.30 crores for Saanjh Project. In the first phase, 82 Saanjh Kendras at Sub-pisional level and 35 at Police Station level were dedicated to the public by the Deputy Chief Minister S.Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a State Level function at Amritsar on 17.10.2011. after that few more Saanjh Kendras were completed bringing the total to 90 Saanjh Kendras at Sub-pisional level and 56 at Police Station level.Prominent amongst present on the occasion included Former Minister Hira Singh Gabria and Media Advisor to Deputy Chief Minister Punjab, Mr. Jangveer Singh.