by Punjabnewswire4u
NEW
DELHI/CHANDIGARH, APRIL 15
: The Punjab
today strongly opposed the move of Union Government to introduce new law and
procedure of investigation in some crimes that may have national or
international ramifications, terming it as a encroachment upon the authority of
the state governments but sought massive infusion of funds to control such
crimes.
Mr. Sukhbir Singh
Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Punjab, participating in the Conference of Chief
Ministers on 5th Report on Public Order of 2nd Administrative Reforms
Commission, presided over by Union Home Minister Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde
underlined that such encroachments would not only harm policing in particular
but would also harm the national interest in general. He said that instead of
enacting new law massive funding was required to control crime which have been
interstate and national ramification especially, Organized Crime, Terrorism,
Acts threatening National security, Trafficking in arms and human beings,
Sedition, Major crimes with inter-state ramification, Assassination of
(including attempts on) major public figures including Serious economic
offences.
Underlining the
responsibility of the Government of India to ensure sufficient funds for control
of serious federal and interstate crimes, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said
that India must learn a lesson from USA that clamped down hard after the one
and only terrorist attack in New York. He lamented that in contrast our funding
to control serious crime is virtually non-existent and whatever meager funds
were provided they are spread thinly for years. He said that the Government of
India used to provide 75% funds for police modernization that has been reduced
to 60% now.
Seeking
enhancement of modernization budget by the multiple of hundred, Mr. Badal
suggested that police modernization should be funded entirely from the federal
budget to keep nation safe from foreign funded terrorists or institutionalized
big crime syndicates.
Welcoming the
report of Administrative Reforms Commission, Mr. Badal reminded that while
implementing these recommendations we must remember the golden rule that the
Constitution of India had laid down a federal structure of government
maintaining that India is a Union of States and the maintenance of law and
order was a State subject and there should not be any deviation from this.
Describing Punjab
as a pioneer state in implementing Administrative reforms in all departments
especially in Police department, Mr. Badal said that Punjab was first state in
the country that introduce the element of accountability an enacting Right to
Service Act covering more than 84 services which was now being replicated by
Union Government for few selected services. He said that providing of Civil
Services of Police Department in Sanjh Kendras boosting the morale of
Constabulary and police force by providing them highest pay grades, providing
inculcating etiquettes amongst the police forces by providing specialized and
computer oriented training, fixing timelines for provision of each service, the
Punjab has made a noble model of policing that other states were now following.
Dwelling on the
new concept of night policing started by Punjab, Mr. Badal said that by doing
so Punjab has a dedicated force for night dominance headed by separate
Superintendents of Police in each district. He said that by the experiment of
night policing Punjab has been able to curb petty property crimes, affecting
the common man most.
The Punjab Deputy
Chief Minister who is also holding the charge of Home department said that
Punjab government had already implemented most of the recommendation regarding
Police reforms it passed The Punjab Police Act in 2007. He said that a large
number of recommendations of the Fifth Report of the Second Administrative
Reforms Commission such as separation of crime investigation from other police
functions, establishment of a State Police Board, welfare and grievance
redressal mechanism for police personnel, Police Complaints Authority and
police training have been addressed in the Punjab Police Act.
Focusing on
efforts of State to bridge the distance between the police and the community,
Mr. Badal said that community Policing project initiated by Punjab named Sanjh
Project has been implemented throughout the State. He said that for redressal
of public grievances. 90 Sub-Divisional Centres and 54 Outreach Centres are
functional as on date. 25 Police Services are delivered through these Saanjh
Kendras in the whole state of Punjab. Upto the 31st of March, 2013, 16.82 lakh
applications/complaints were received in these Saanjh Kendras throughout the
state; out of which 16.58 lakh service applications have been
disposed off and services delivered under Right to Service Act. This Act was
enacted by the Government of Punjab in 2011.
Giving a big
thrust to gender sensitization, Mr. Badal informed that Punjab is in the
process of recruiting 338 ladies Sub-Inspectors and 1200 lady Constables will
be recruited in a phased manner over a period of three years. He said that in
addition to these, six posts of lady DSPs and 36 lady Inspectors have been
approved to provide promotional avenues, besides improving the ratio of female
in the force.
Mr. Badal said
that Punjab is the first state to provide rapid rural police response system
for immediate and timely response to calls for police service to ensure
comprehensive and round the clock security in rural areas. He said that 585
state of the art motorbikes and 289 multi utility vehicles fitted with all
necessary police equipment will be provided for this purpose at the cost of Rs
34 crores.
Mr. Badal also
highlighted measures taken for NRIs, redeployment of security personnel and
vehicles by rationalizing VIP security and focus on training of Police
personnel.
Dwelling on the
recommendations for separating investigation from law & order duty, Mr.
Badal opined that the Chief of Investigation Wing should be under DGP and
Punjab Police had already issued a clear standing order separating
investigation from law & order duty.
Mr. Badal also spoke on Accountability of Law and Order Machinery, Police
Establishment Committee but in the case of direct appointment of eminent
Lawyers for prosecution, Mr. Badal said that short term hiring of advocates
would not make them accountable like regular cadre of prosecution machinery.
Mr. Badal also gave his views on Local Police and Traffic Management, Reducing
burden of Police – Outsourcing Non Core Functions, Welfare Measures for the
Police, Independent Complaint Authorities, An Independent Inspectorate of
Police, Improvement of Forensic Science Infrastructure – Professionalization of
Investigation, Strengthening Intelligence Gathering, Training of the Police,
Gender Issues in Policing, Prison Reforms.
Mr. Badal opposed
the recommendation regarding abolition for the post of constable but suggested
that recruitment process should be made totally transparent and they needed to
be empowered by better training and welfare measures. Mr. Badal also sought
total central funding for modernization of Jails, equipping them with jammers,
CCTV cameras and linking the Jails with Courts through video conferencing
besides continuation of annual plan for modernization of prisons that expired
in 2009.
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