The Hindu : Rs. 2,000 crores for modernisation of police forces

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 28, 2002

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Rs. 2,000 crores for modernisation of police forces

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 27. The Centre has released Rs. 2,000 crores as part of the non-plan scheme for modernisation of State police forces over the last two years, the Union Minister of State for Home, I.D. Swami, informed the Rajya Sabha today.

Uttar Pradesh has received the largest share of Rs. 240 crores. This is significantly higher than the combined allocation (Rs. 180 crores) to militancy-affected States such as Bihar and Jharkhand. Maharashtra (Rs. 175 crores) and Karnataka (Rs. 159 crores) follow Uttar Pradesh as the big recipients.

The Rs. 2,000-crore allocations, made after the revision of the scheme in 2000, represents a steep increase in the central allocation from the previous three decades.

For 10 years from 1969, the Centre allocated Rs. 52 crores and Rs. 484 crores in the 20 years from 1980. Assistance in kind amounting to Rs. 216 crores for communication, security equipment and bullet-proof vehicles were also made the northeastern states between 1997 and 2002 as part of a separate scheme to modernise police forces there.

Jammu and Kashmir received Rs. 365 crores of Central funds between 1998 and 2002 for security related expenditure.

Modernisation of the police force was the primary responsibility of the State Government, Mr. Swami said. Under the scheme, the State Governments were required to make matching contributions.

The scheme was devised to fund the construction of police stations and outposts, houses, buildings for training, purchase of forensic, communication, security and intelligence equipment and weapons. No mention was made of training the forces in modern policing methods or sensitising them to rights issues.

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