Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday approved direct recruitment of 450 assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), saying the move would augment police manpower and provide educated youth an opportunity to join the force through a merit-based selection process.Chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the home department, Mann said the recruitment would strengthen policing and help the state tackle emerging law-and-order challenges.“The recruitment of 450 ASIs will help ensure adequate manpower for effective policing across the state. Strengthening the Police force is a priority of the state govt,” he said.Punjab Police has a sanctioned strength of 6,810 ASI posts across five cadres — district police, armed police, Bureau of Investigation, intelligence and technical support service.Mann said the govt had undertaken a detailed assessment of existing and likely vacancies so recruitment and promotions could be planned systematically.
