MODERNISATION OF STATE POLICE FORCES: Nagaland, Assam get the largest slice of pie in NER

Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 1  

Nagaland and Assam had the largest share of funds for Scheme for Modernisation of State Polices Forces (MPF Scheme) in the last 5 years in the North Eastern Region (NER), a Home Ministry report reveals.  

The Ministry Of Home Affairs’ (MHA) ‘Annual Reports 2016-17’, released in the first of week June, shows that from the fiscal year 2012-13 to 2016-17, Assam and Nagaland have been allocated a sum of Rs. 120.60 and Rs. 93.82 crores respectively under the MPF Scheme.  

However, the allocation in last two years for Nagaland at Rs. 11.41 and Rs. 11.70 crores respectively is much higher than Assam, which was allocated Rs. 1.98 and Rs. 1.97 crores respectively during the same period. All NER states had single digit allotment in the last two years.  

Under the MPF Scheme, the States are grouped into two categories, namely Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’ for the purpose of funding both under Non- Plan and Plan.  

Category ‘A’ States, namely Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the 8 North-East States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura, are eligible to receive 90% of financial assistance and need to provide 10% share from their own funds.  

The rest are under Category ‘B’ states and are provided funds in the ratio of 60:40, with Central Government providing 60% of the funds.  

Among the Category ‘A’ states, while the fund for J&K was highest at Rs. 289.15 crores during the assessed period, the other major share was Assam and Nagaland. During the same period, the allotment of funds (Rs. in crores) to other NER were: Manipur – 68.63; Tripura 52.5; Mizoram- 52.2; Arunachal Pradesh 25.6; Meghalaya 17.42; and Sikkim 9.82 crores.  

According to MHA, while ‘Police’ and ‘Public order’ is a States’ subject under the Constitution of India, the States have not been able to modernise and equip their police forces up to the desired level due to financial constraints. Thus to supplement the efforts and resources of the States, the MPF Scheme is implemented time to time since 1969-70.  

The MPF Scheme provides funding under Non-Plan and partly under Plan and the requirements projected by the respective State Governments. Components such as mobility, weapons, equipment, training equipment, forensic equipment, etc. are funded under Non-Plan while construction/upgradations of police stations/outposts, police lines, police housing, construction of forensic science laboratories and training infrastructure (buildings) are funded under the Plan budget of the Scheme.  

Status of Police Officers

According to the report, as of December 31, 2016, the total strength of Indian Police Service (IPS) Officers in Nagaland was 70, one of the lowest after Tripura at 65 and Sikkim at 32. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of IPS Officers at 517. Overall, there was an authorised strength of 4843 officers in India.  

The Service is organised into 26 State cadres/Joint cadres and the structure of each cadre is jointly reviewed by Government of India in consultation with the concerned State Government after every 5 years, according to the MHA.  

Other forces in the Region

The entire State of Manipur (except Imphal Municipal area), Nagaland and Assam are under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the Report stated.  

In Arunachal Pradesh, 16 Police Stations/Out Posts areas bordering Assam and three districts-Tirap, Changlang and Longding are under the Act. In Meghalaya, a 20-kilometer belt bordering Assam has been declared “Disturbed” under the Act and the notifications of declaring Manipur as “disturbed area” is done by the State Government of Manipur.  

As a result, the Central Government has deployed Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to aid the State authorities for carrying out “counter insurgency operations and providing security to vulnerable institutions and installations,” it added.  

Accordingly, 407 Coys of CAPFs have been deployed for Border guarding duties along the international borders of Nepal, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar and 437 Coys of CAPFs and 16 CoBRA teams were deployed in the North Eastern States for Internal Security and Counter Insurgency Operations.  

In order to augment the police force in the NER States, 51 India Reserve Battalions (IR Bns) have been sanctioned for the NE States, including Sikkim. These include 9 for Assam, 9 for Tripura, 9 for Manipur, 7 for Nagaland, 5 each for Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, and 4 for Meghalaya and 3 for Sikkim.  

Out of 51 sanctioned, 48 India Reserve Battalions have been raised so far in the NE States, including Sikkim, the Report informed .