Assam Police takes a stand against alcohol abuse, offers voluntary retirement to 300 habitual drinkers

Approximately 300 officers from the Assam Police who have a habit of excessive drinking will be offered the option of voluntary retirement, according to a statement made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 30. This process has already begun, and new recruitment will be carried out to fill the resulting vacancies, he said.

Sarma, who is also in charge of the state's home portfolio, informed reporters during a program that around 300 officers and jawans are habitual drinkers, and their bodies have been severely impacted by their excessive consumption of alcohol. The government has established a provision for a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for them, which is an old regulation that had not been implemented previously.

The chief minister also revealed that he is working on the decentralization of governance and has already started the process of establishing offices in all 126 legislative assembly constituency areas with the powers previously held by the deputy commissioners' office.

"We're striving to ensure that individuals don't have to travel to the district headquarters to conduct business at the DC's office and that the DC's office is available in every LAC area. The DCs will be responsible for law and order and given various duties," Sarma added.