Centre gives incentives to 10 states for success in police reforms

The Centre has released Rs 7.69 crore each as incentive to 10 states which have succeeded in implementing police reforms like filling up of vacancies, use of technology in tackling crime and welfare of police personnel.

A Home Ministry official also said Rs 769 crore has been given to states under the scheme of modernisation of police force in the last fiscal.

For the first time, incentive funds of Rs 7.69 crore each has been released to 10 states for implementation of police reforms.

The states which were found eligible for the incentive are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, the official said.

Police reforms has been on the agenda of successive governments almost since Independence. However, progress in this area has been slow which led to giving incentives to the states which perform better.

The 10 states which were rewarded have shown tremendous progress in fulfilling vacant posts, use of emerging mobile and IT applications, GIS based computer-aided dispatch, online complaints system, electronic record keeping among others.

The other areas where the states showed progress include procurement of modern weapons, equipment, vehicles, CCTV surveillance, data centres, command and control centres.

Welfare measures like provision of housing and medical facilities for police personnel, restroom facilities for women personnel in police stations have also been taken into account while deciding the incentives, another official said.

Provision of adequate manpower in state police organisations is one of the pre-requisites to arrest crimes. Further, a complex internal security challenges such as Left Wing Extremism, terrorism and technology and women-related crimes require focused and undivided attention.

"It is critical that not only the existing vacancies are filled but a comprehensive review of the sanctioned strength of the police personnel of the state is carried out and a time-bound state specific recruitment and training programme is finalised," the official said.

Meanwhile, the budget allocation for financial year 2018-19 was Rs 769 crore for sub-scheme of Assistance to States for Modernisation of Police against which Rs 768.83 crore (almost 100 per cent) has been released.

The entire allocation of Rs 100 crore for Assistance to the State Government for Special Projects/ Programmes for upgrading police infrastructure has also been released by the home ministry, the official said.