Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has urged the Union Government to allocate additional Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the state, citing growing administrative and security demands. During a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday night, the Chief Minister sought an increase in the sanctioned IPS cadre strength for Telangana and requested that the next cadre review be conducted as scheduled.
The appeal comes amid rising challenges such as cybercrime, drug trafficking, and rapid urban expansion, particularly in and around Hyderabad.
Request to Increase IPS Cadre Strength
During the meeting, Revanth Reddy requested the Union Home Ministry to increase Telangana’s sanctioned IPS cadre strength from the current 83 officers to 105.
The Chief Minister noted that the first cadre review after Telangana’s formation was conducted in 2016, while the second review, originally due in 2021, was delayed until 2025.
Despite the delay, the state received only seven additional IPS officers, which the Chief Minister said was insufficient to meet the state’s growing policing and administrative requirements.
He also requested the Union Government to ensure that the third cadre review takes place on schedule in 2026.
Rising Security Challenges in Telangana
Revanth Reddy highlighted several emerging security challenges faced by the state, which have increased the demand for more senior police officers.
These challenges include:
• Rapid rise in cybercrime cases
• Increasing incidents of drug trafficking
• Growth in white-collar crimes
• Emerging internal security threats
The Chief Minister said that the evolving nature of crime requires stronger leadership and a larger pool of senior police officers to effectively manage law enforcement.
Administrative Pressure from Expanding Commissionerates
Another major factor behind the demand for more IPS officers is the expansion of urban policing in the Hyderabad metropolitan region.
Revanth Reddy pointed out that the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri Police Commissionerates has significantly increased administrative responsibilities.
He also referred to plans to establish a new city police commissionerate in the future, which would further increase the requirement for senior police officers.
In addition, Hyderabad’s rapidly growing population and urbanisation have created greater policing demands in areas such as traffic management, crime investigation, and public safety.
Update on Maoist Surrenders and Rehabilitation
The meeting also included discussions on left-wing extremism and the rehabilitation of former Maoist cadres.
The Chief Minister informed Amit Shah that 591 Maoists have surrendered over the past two years, marking a significant improvement in the state’s internal security situation.
Several senior Maoist leaders have also returned to mainstream life, he said.
According to the Chief Minister, those who surrendered were provided compensation and rehabilitation assistance as per government regulations, helping them reintegrate into society.
Request for Financial Support for Backward Regions
Apart from policing issues, Revanth Reddy also requested the Union Government to provide financial assistance for development projects in Telangana’s backward regions.
He emphasised the importance of central support to accelerate development and improve infrastructure in less-developed areas of the state.
Senior Officials Present at the Meeting
Several senior officials accompanied the Chief Minister during the meeting with the Union Home Minister.
Those present included:
• Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister V Seshadri
• Director General of Police B Shivdhar Reddy
• Additional DGP (Intelligence) Vijay Kumar
• Inspector General of Police, Special Investigation Branch B Sumathi
