(a) whether the number of police personnel in India in relation to the population falls short of global norms, making India one of the most under-policed country in the world;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to redress the situation notably through additional recruitment of police personnel?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) & (b): As per data compiled by the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) as on 1.1.2013, the sanctioned and actual strength of police personnel at all India level per one lakh population (police-population ratio) in India is 181.47 and 136.42 respectively. The State-wise details of police-population ratio in India as on 1.1.2013 is at Annexure.
No information as to the police and population ratio of other countries is being compiled by BPR&D. However, as per report prepared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on ‘International Statistics on Crime and Justice’ available on the website of the UNODC, released in 2010, several countries such as Canada (191.4), Italy (549.9), Japan (199.8), New Zealand (187.0), Spain (313.0), USA (223.6), have higher police-population ratio than India during the year 2006.
(c): As ‘Police’ and ‘Law and Order’ are State subjects, falling in Entry 1 and 2 of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, it is the responsibility of the State Governments to ensure adequate provision of police personnel. The State Governments have been advised from time to time by the Ministry of Home Affairs to fill up the vacancies in the State Police Forces. Besides, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been, through a Scheme for Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF Scheme), providing assistance to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in modernizing their police infrastructure and enhance their operational capability.