Rs 25,000 crore nod for modernisation of police force

New Delhi: In an aim to strengthen the country’s law and order and modernise police forces, the Centre on Wednesday approved Rs 25,000 crore mega internal security scheme.  

The key Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its approval for implementation of the umbrella scheme — Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) for 2017-18 to 2019-20. Union home minister Rajnath Singh, said “This is the biggest ever internal security scheme in the country. The financial outlay for the scheme over the three years period is Rs 25,060 crore, out of which the central government share will be Rs 18,636 crore and the states’ share will be Rs 6,424 crore”.

Special provisions have been made under the scheme for internal security, law and order, women security, availability of modern weapons, mobility of police forces, logistical support, hiring of helicopters, upgradation of police wireless, national satellite network, crime and criminal tracking network and systems, e-prison, etc. The home minister said that under the umbrella scheme, a central budget outlay of Rs 10,132 crore has been earmarked for internal security-related expenditure for Jammu and Kashmir, north-eastern states and those affected by the left wing extremism (LWE).

A scheme for special central assistance (SCA) for 35 districts worst hit by LWE has been introduced with an outlay of Rs 3,000 crore to tackle the issue of underdevelopment. An outlay of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for police infrastructure upgradation, training institutes, investigation facilities, etc. In the north-eastern states. Mr Singh added that the implementation of the scheme would bolster the government’s ability to address challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast effectively.

Besides, the scheme will help undertake development interventions which will catalyse in improving the quality of life in these areas and help combat these challenges effectively at the same time. The initiatives are being introduced to provide assistance to states for upgradation of police infrastructure, forensic science laboratories, institutions and the equipment available with them to plug critical gaps in the criminal justice system.