Context:
The Government under the leadership of Prime Minister has approved continuation of umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- This scheme comprises all relevant sub-schemes that contribute to modernization and improvement with a total Central financial outlay of Rs.26,275 crore.
Relevance:
GS II- Polity and Governance
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Modernisation of Police Forces scheme
- Salient Features of the scheme
About Modernisation of Police Forces scheme:
- Police’ and ‘law and order’ fall under the category of subjects within the domain of the State as per Entry 2 of List II of the VIIth Schedule in the Constitution of India.
- Thus, the principal responsibility for managing these subjects lies with the State Governments.
- However, the States have not been able to fully modernize and equip their police forces upto the desired level due to financial constraints.
- It is in this context that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been supplementing the efforts and resources of the States, from time to time, by implementing the Scheme for Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF Scheme) since 1969-70.
Objectives
- The objective of the scheme is to gradually reduce the dependence of the State Governments on the Army and the Central Armed Police Forces to control internal security and law and order situations by equipping the State Police Forces adequately and strengthening their training infrastructure.
- The focus of the scheme is to strengthen police infrastructure at cutting edge level by construction of secure police stations, training centres, police housing (residential), equipping the police stations with the required mobility, modern weaponry, communication equipment and forensic set-up etc.
Funding Pattern
Under the Scheme, the States are grouped into two categories, namely Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’ for the purpose of funding.
- Category ‘A’ States, namely, J&K and 8 North Eastern States including Sikkim will be eligible to receive financial assistance on 90:10 Centre: State sharing basis.
- The remaining States will be in Category ‘B’ and will be eligible for financial assistance on 60:40 Centre: State sharing basis.
Salient Features of the scheme are:
- Provision has been made under the Scheme for internal security, law and order, adoption of modern technology by Police, assisting States for narcotics control and strengthening the criminal justice system by developing a robust forensic set-up in the country.
- The Scheme for modernization of State police forces has a Central outlay of Rs.4,846 crore.
- To develop operationally independent high-quality forensic sciences facilities in States/Union Territories for aiding scientific and timely investigation through modernization of resources.
- A central Scheme for Modernisation of Forensic Capacities with outlay of Rs.2,080.50 crore has been approved.
- Central outlay of Rs.18,839 crore has been earmarked for security related expenditure for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, insurgency affected North Eastern States and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas.
- With the implementation of ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ for combating LWE, the LWE violence incidents have come down drastically.
- To further pursue this accomplishment, six LWE related schemes with Central outlay of Rs.8,689 crore have been approved. These schemes include Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Most LWE Affected Districts & Districts of Concern to consolidate the gains.
- For raising of India Reserve Battalions/Specialised India Reserve Battalions, Central outlay of Rs.350 crore has been approved.
- Central sector scheme of ‘Assistance to States & Union Territories for Narcotics Control with outlay of Rs.50 crore has been continued.
-Source: The Hindu
