A pharmacy where retired police personnel and their family members can purchase medicines at discounted prices will be set up in Chikkaballapur soon, Superintendent of Police Karthik Reddy has said.

“Retired police personnel spend 50% of their pension on medicines. The pharmacy, exclusively for retired police personnel will sell generic medicines at 50% discount while other drugs will be available here at 25% discount,” the SP said. He was speaking at the grievance redressal meeting held after the Police Flag Day celebrations in the city on Sunday.

He said that the pharmacy would be set up at the stock room on the premises of the rural police station. The responsibility of maintaining the pharmacy will be with the retired police personnel. The date for inaugurating the pharmacy will be finalised soon.

He said that the medical bills of retired police personnel were pending for reimbursement.
Out of Rs 12 lakh available in the police welfare fund, Rs 2 lakh will be utilised for reimbursement. Talks are also being held with Indian Medical Association for providing free medical facilities to retired police personnel at various hospitals.

The SP said that every police station should have information about retired police personnel.
“I will give instructions in this regard by calling a meeting of officers. Arrangements will be made to keep beat books in the houses of retired personnel,” he added. The SP also asked all the personnel to renew their canteen cards.

Referring to the demand for a site to construct a building for the association of retired police personnel, the SP asked the latter to submit a memorandum again and that he would speak to the higher officers.

Deputy Superintendents of Police M L Purushottam and Krishnamurthy, Circle Police Inspector K P Sathyanarayana and others were present.

Earlier, speaking at the Flag Day event, the SP said that there were 135 retired police personnel in the district and 19 more personnel retired during 2016-17. The money collected by the sale of Police Flags will be utilised for the welfare of retired police personnel.

Retired police officer M S Narasimhamurthy, who spoke on the occasion, said that police personnel discharge their duties round-the-clock, all the while staying away from their house and family members. “Unlike other employees, who have fixed working hours, policemen toil for the whole day,” he said.

Akash Hospital and Indian Medical Association had jointly organised a free health checkup camp for police personnel and their families on the occasion.