News Brief
UP Police Honoured For Maha Kumbh Service: CM Yogi Announces Rs 10,000 Bonus, Special Medal And Seven-Day Leave
UP CM Yogi Adityanath
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to award a special bonus of Rs 10,000 and the 'Maha Kumbh Seva Medal' to 75,000 police personnel who served during the historic Maha Kumbh mela, PTI reported.
The announcement was made by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday (27 February).
He appreciated their selfless service in regulating the grand religious event.
Police personnel will also be granted a week-long phased leave as a further gesture of appreciation.
Addressing a special function at the Ganga Mandapam, CM Adityanath lauded the discipline and perseverance of the police force while praising the unmatched challenge of managing millions of people over 45 days.
"Our personnel were even pushed by people at times but they displayed remarkable resilience and patience," he remarked.
Terming the Maha Kumbh the largest and most historic in the world, Adityanath attributed its smooth conduct to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and joint efforts of security personnel.
Emphasising the event's significance, he termed it as a historic convergence of religion and economic progress, drawing 66.3 crore pilgrims and generating an economic boost worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore against the Rs 7,500 crore that was invested in infrastructure in Prayagraj.
Responding to critics, the Chief Minister asserted, "Only those who participated in the Maha Kumbh can understand its scale and complexity. It is easy to sit far away and make negative comments."
He also boasted the transformation of the UP Police, stating that prior to 2017, the state was synonymous with riots and mafia rule, but today, the police force had earned global recognition as a 'Mitra Police' (friendly police force).
Paying tribute to the work done by all the security personnel, Adityanath also appreciated the state police, paramilitary personnel, home guards, Prantiya Rakshak Dal (PRD), water police, traffic police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
Highlighting the magnitude of the congregation, Adityanath pointed out that Prayagraj, with a permanent population of 25 lakh, received as many as two crore devotees per day, and 15 crore pilgrims on 28-30 January alone.
Dignitaries from more than 100 nations, with 12 heads of state, participated in the event.
During his speech, the Chief Minister again reasserted the government's intentions for police well-being and infrastructure, announcing the UP Police budget has been boosted to Rs 40,000 crore, making way for new barracks, renewed PAC units, and large-scale recruitment campaigns.
"When I took office in 2017, I saw broken roofs and policemen sleeping on cots in Lucknow Police Lines. That moment convinced me of the urgent need for reforms," Adityanath shared.
In his concluding remarks, he highlighted that the Maha Kumbh not only reinforced India's global image but also proved Uttar Pradesh to be a model state for event and security management.
"Everyone who came to Maha Kumbh, whether a devotee or a dignitary, left in awe of the arrangements and with gratitude for our police force," he said.
Before departing, CM Adityanath joined police personnel for a community meal, personally thanking them for their dedicated service.
