Police Modernization a Scheme that did not go as planned
Police Modernization: Even in this day and age, when criminals use heinous techniques and cutting-edge technology to perpetrate crimes, many state governments are careless in maintaining their fundamental infrastructure.
In last 3 financial years, the central government gave an amount of Rs 1042 crore to all the states as assistance for modernization of police. But out of that about 742 crore rupees have not been spent. This is the reason why in the current financial year, the Center has not made any aid available to any state.
Governments of many states are not serious even in providing basic facilities to the police forces to prevent crimes. Due to this, the Center has not helped any state with any significant projects, such as the modernisation of police forces, during the current year. Because this state has not been able to spend about Rs 742 crore due for the last financial year.
While there are thousands of police stations present in many states where the facility of vehicle, telephone, wireless, mobile or even CCTV was not available. The surprising thing is that six such police stations of the capital Delhi have also been included in these, in which the top officials could not even provide wireless or mobile facilities.
Police stations don’t even have phones or mobile devices.
According to central government, there are about 17233 police stations in all 36 states and union territories of the country. But out of these, there are 11 states whose governments could not provide even a single vehicle in 233 stations. The number of such police stations is 75 in Uttar Pradesh, 65 in Andhra Pradesh, 47 in Jharkhand, 10 in Himachal Pradesh, nine each in Meghalaya and Manipur, five in Punjab, four each in Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh, three in Assam and Uttarakhand. Two have been mentioned.
900 police stations have no phones
Today, even when 5G mobile service is starting in the country. Whereas the state administration was unable to even install telephones, 900 similar police stations have emerged across the nation. Surprisingly, 211 police stations out of total 564 in Naxal-affected Jharkhand did not have a single telephone.
The number of such police stations is 141 in Assam, 77 in Arunachal Pradesh, 75 in Uttar Pradesh, 67 in Punjab, 64 in Manipur, 44 in Meghalaya, 36 in Nagaland, 34 in Andhra Pradesh, 28 in Chhattisgarh, 26 in Mizoram, 10 in Tripura. And three have been mentioned in Odisha. The most surprising figure is of Jammu and Kashmir. Telephones were not provided in 70 out of 241 police stations here.
Neither wireless nor portable
There are 12 states and union territories in the nation that have such police stations. However they have no access to wifi or mobile services. Nityanand Rai, revealed facts to the Parliament, but the scenario in Delhi was most startling. According to the data given by him, out of 209 police stations of the country’s capital Delhi, 6 stations were found where even wireless facilities were not available. The number of such police stations was 31 in Jharkhand and 28 in Punjab. While both these states remain on the target of Naxalites and terrorists.
In around 30% of the police stations, there is no CCTV.
Despite the court order for police modernization, CCTVs have not been installed in 5396 stations. Rajasthan, out of 894 police stations, only one CCTV was installed.
Jammu and Kashmir also, out of 241 CCTVs were installed in only 51 police stations. About 54% of police stations in Maharashtra lacked CCTV. Compared to over 40% in Andhra Pradesh, 40% in Karnataka, and 38% in Tamil Nadu.
Goa, a popular international travel destination, is reportedly one of the states that doesn’t care about human rights. Here also CCTVs were not installed in 21 out of 43 police stations.
