The decision to recruit the police constables was taken during a cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh last evening, said Manipur education minister M Okendra Singh who is the government spokesman.
Okendra Singh said the total requirement of state police forces including Manipur Rifles etc was about 33,000 but the present strength was about 28,000.
Out of the requirement of 5000, 2000 police constables would be recruited soon as there was acute shortage of police forces particularly in the hill districts, Okendra Singh said adding that forces were also required for protection of various ongoing and completed projects.
Official sources said the present strength of the state police forces of 28,000 included a battalion of India Reserve Battalion which was raised about two years ago adding that large chunk of the forces were used to tackle militants and to guard VIPs in the state.
They said if there was enough forces, development works could not be taken up properly because of various factors including the insurgency problem in the state.
