Extending their confidence building measures into the world of children, Sri Muktsar Sahib Police in Punjab has started the Bal Mitra programme. As the very name suggests, the programme is solely focussed on creating friendly relations between the police and children.
Under the leadership of SSP Dhruman H. Nimbale, a 2010-batch IPS officer, Sri Muktsar Sahib police invite children to the district headquarter and interacts with them, answering all their questions. The functioning of the police and the services being provided by them to the public are also explained to them in detail. Police teams also visit schools and colleges to establish direct contact with the students so that they reach out for help without any hesitation. Students are also made aware about the usages of the Shakti app and the helpline numbers 112,181,1098 for any kind of police assistance.
Needless to say, these efforts are being very well received by both the students and the teachers. Indian Masterminds interacted with SSP Dhruman H Nimbale to get more details about this initiative.
BAL MITRA PROGRAMME
In Muktsar Sahib, the Bal Mitra programme was started by SSP Dhruman H Nimbale in. Explaining it, he said, “It is really a very special feeling to spend time with thousands of children and interact with them. Through this initiative, we are bridging the gap between children and police. We try to understand their perception of society and police and then explain to them the services we are offering to society as a whole. We are also providing study material, books, chappals, etc., in government primary schools under this initiative. In this way, we are getting closer to the children.”
A drama competition is also being organised among school children on the topic of drug addiction and its bad effects in society and children abuse and how to deal with it. Plays related to these themes will be presented by children from class VII to XII and the winning team will be given exciting prizes by the police department. Schools can send the participants’ names to the SSP office before July along with the name of the play.
GETTING O KNOW POLICE FUNCTIONING
Mr. Nimbale further informed that about 20 thousand school children of different age groups have been covered so far in the district. Young students were called to the District Police Control Room and informed about the functioning of the police, about the services of the Saanjh Kendra and how to use the Shakti App in case of any problem to seek police help.
“44 types of services are available in Sanjh Kendra and three apps have been integrated into it, Shakti App, PP Saanjh and Know Your Police. Saanjh Kendra is available in every police station, its main function is to solve the problems of the people. In this, the services of numbers 112 and 181 are available for people, especially women. If they face any kind of problem anywhere, they can call on these numbers immediately,” he said.
Apart from this, the students are also informed that 1091 is for women and 1098 is for children. At the District Police Sanjh Kendra, the students are given detailed information about the use of Shakti App so that school girls and working women can consider the police as a member of their family without any fear and call for help when needed.
POLICE HELPING IN THEIR OWN WAY
The Bal Mitra programme is helping police to provide assistance on their own, too. Through the District’s Saanjh Kendra, they distribute notes books, pencil, eraser, study material and chappals, etc. to students of government primary schools. The staff members of the District Police Sanjh Kendra visit the schools themselves and inform the children about the services being provided by the Kendra. Till now, thousands of children have been benefited by these steps.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
SSP Nimbale said that in the first phase, child-friendly programme was started at the district level and after deployment of the required number of police personnel, it is being implemented by the district police at the sub-division and police station level. And maximum assistance will be provided to the students by the district police in liaison with the school administrators. The objective of this programme is to make the school children good citizens of the country and inculcate in them the feeling of love for the police.
