(a) whether there is any proposal for modernisation of police force in the country, State-wise;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the measures being taken to remove the bottlenecks in the existing police system; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Union Government for setting up forensic labs in every district in the States ?
MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS ( SHRI L.K. ADVANI )
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 262 FOR 14.3.2000 RELATING TO MODERNISATION OF POLICE FORCE TABLED BY SHRI RAMJIVAN SINGH AND SHRI Y.S. VIVEKANANDA REDDY.
(a)to(d): `Police` is a State subject as per the Constitution of India. As such, it is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments to train, equip and modernise their police forces in order to keep pace with the changing security and law and order scenario. Howerver, the Central Government has also advised the State Governments to prepare a perspective plan for modernisation of their police forces.
To supplement the efforts of the State Governments in modernising their police forces, the Central Government has been implementing a Non-Plan Scheme, viz., Scheme for Modernisation of State Police Forces, since 1969-70. Assistance under this Scheme is available for the following purposes :-
(i) Mobility - purchase of vehicles
(ii) Forensic Science labs/Finger Print Bureaux, Centre for Questioned documents buildings, their expansion and renovation, etc.
(iii) Police Training Centre buildings, their expension and renovation etc.
(iv) Equipment, light weaponry, aids for crowd control, traffic control, VVIP Security.
(v) Communication
(vi) Equipment/aids to investigation, data processing, office equipment.
20% of the annual allocation to each state under this Scheme is available for forensic science laboratories, Financial assistance under this Scheme consists of 50% loan and 50% grant-in-aid.
In addition to the above Scheme, the Central Government is implementing, with effect from the financial year 1997-98, a special scheme for modernisation of State police forces in the North-East under which arms and ammunition, vehicles and communication and other equipments are being provided in kind. This scheme is 100% funded by the Central Government.
The Finance Commission has also been making allocations in favour of the States for improving their policing infrastructure.