Centre accelerates police modernisation with integrated plans for states, CAPFs

NEW DELHI: Modernising the police is a long-term and ongoing affair with central supplementation of state efforts. It aims at equipping State and Union Territory Police Forces under the scheme “Assistance to States and UTs for Modernisation of Police.” The scheme focuses on modern technology, weaponry, communication systems, and mobility solutions aimed at modernising police station operational capacity.

The scheme, which provides for the setting up of police stations and other essential infrastructure facilities, has been sanctioned with a five-year outlay of Rs 4,846 crore between 2021-22 and 2025-26. Although ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ fall in the list of subjects entrusted to state governments under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, support from the Centre has remained the mainstay for strengthening the police infrastructure nationwide, particularly at strategic locations.

The modernisation plan has been initiated for CAPFs, such as the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard, and Sashastra Seema Bal. It involves an expenditure of Rs 1,523 crore in the period from January 2022 to March 2026. It would keep the CAPFs abreast with all modern weapons, surveillance gadgets, communication tools, special vehicles, and personal protection devices. These developments have helped the CAPFs to efficiently undertake important tasks like border management and internal security. The Ministry of Home Affairs, with the help of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has brought state-of-the-art technologies to CAPFs, bridging the gap between existing inventories and current security needs.

Items like the Corner Shot Weapon System for 9mm pistols, 40mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher ammunition, Joint Venture Protective Carbine, Multi-Mode Hand Grenade, and Anti-Terrorist Vehicles have already been inducted. DRDO is also developing innovative tools like Handheld Ground Penetrating Radar, Vehicle-Mounted Ground Penetrating Radar, and Foliage Penetrating Radar that further enhance the operational capabilities of the forces.

Rationalising the existing protocols has streamlined the induction of DRDO-developed products and facilitated more efficient integration of advanced technologies. Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that these efforts are a crucial step in strengthening the security framework of the nation and effectively addressing contemporary challenges.