Ahmedabad: Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Manoj Ninama has taken voluntary retirement nearly three months before his scheduled superannuation. He has not ruled out entering electoral politics ahead of the local body polls. Ninama, 59, whose retirement was due on June 30, said his resignation was accepted by the state govt. He said no decision had been taken yet on contesting elections, but added that he would consider options if they aligned with his plans for community work.A native of Arvalli district and belonging to a scheduled tribe, Ninama said his next steps would depend on whether he gets a platform to work on issues related to education, employment and access to opportunities in tribal areas. “I have not decided yet. If a suitable offer is made to me, I will consider it,” Ninama said, adding that he expects feedback from different quarters before taking a call.He said that during discussions with other officers from tribal communities, a recurring concern was the limited impact of long years in service on community advancement. “Even after 30-35 years in service, the outcomes in terms of opportunities for youth remain limited,” he said.Ninama outlined plans to set up training institutes at the taluka level to prepare candidates for competitive exams such as GPSC, UPSC, and police department recruitment. He said the aim is to create a structured system that allows students from tribal areas to access guidance and resources in one place.“There is a need for focused institutions that can support students from these regions in preparing for govt services,” he said, adding that if some political outfit gives him a suitable offer so that he would work for the community, then he would consider it. Originally a state police service officer, Ninama was promoted to the IPS and served as the inspector general of police in the traffic branch in Gandhinagar before opting for VRS.His decision comes weeks before polling for local bodies begins. In Gujarat, there have been instances of former police officers joining politics, including P C Baranda from Aravalli, who later entered the state cabinet after electoral success.
