To meet the shortage of manpower in different organs of Uttar Pradesh police about 2.04 lakh police personnel will be recruited soon, state Chief Minister Mayawati said here on Wednesday.

"The government had already started an exercise to recruit 35,000 personnel through police recruitment boards constituted to make the process transparent," Mayawati said while addressing a function organised on the occasion of Police Smriti Diwas here.

To address problems of the police personnel, separate budgetary allocations have been made by the government, she said.

"For modernisation of state force and to equip it with modern weapons and gadgets, the state government had given financial sanction of Rs 246 crore in its budget," she said.

"Similarly to meet residential and non-residential demands of the police a separate budgetary provision of Rs 30.81 crore and 26.76 crore had been made respectively," she added.

Mayawati said that the government was committed for the welfare of the police force, which by making supreme sacrifices in discharge of their duty had done pride to the state.

"The state police had several achievements to its credit in the last one year, including encounter of a dreaded dacoit Ghanshyam Kewat in Chitrakoot last year," she said.

"As a result of the government's efforts a number of criminals not only from UP, but other states as well were either killed or had been arrested," she said.

The Chief Minister said that the government will give priority to the problems of kin of martyrs and retired personnel.

"Financial assistance is being extended through insurance schemes and various funds. Directives have been issued to dispose of cases of pensioners on priority," she said.

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