Bhubaneswar, 08 July (H.S.): Odisha Police is set to undertake one of its largest recruitment drives as the force faces a substantial manpower shortage, with nearly 26,000 posts expected to be filled in the coming months, Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania said on Wednesday.

Addressing the issue of vacancies, the DGP said the existing strength of the Odisha Police is inadequate to meet the demands of the state's growing population. He noted that Odisha has a lower police-to-population ratio compared to several other states, underscoring the need for a significant expansion of the force.

To bridge the gap, the state government has initiated measures to strengthen the police department. According to Khurania, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has recently approved the creation of 17,000 new posts in the Odisha Police.

When these newly sanctioned positions are added to the existing 16,000 vacant posts, the total number of positions to be filled rises to nearly 26,000, making it one of the biggest recruitment initiatives in the state's police force.

The DGP expressed confidence that the recruitment process would begin at the earliest, enabling the department to fill the vacancies and significantly enhance policing capabilities across Odisha.

The present police strength is not sufficient in proportion to the state's population. Compared to many other states, Odisha has fewer police personnel. The creation of new posts will help strengthen the force, and we expect the recruitment process to commence soon, Khurania said.

The proposed recruitment drive is expected to substantially improve law enforcement capacity, enhance public safety, and reduce the workload on serving police personnel. It will also generate employment opportunities for thousands of aspirants preparing for police recruitment examinations in the state.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda