Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Modernisation Of Police Force. on 5 May, 2000
Title: Regarding Modernisation of Police Force.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Now, we shall take up Half-an-hour discussion. Shrimati Shyama Singh.
SHRIMATI SHYAMA SINGH (AURANGABAD, BIHAR): Mr. Chairman, Sir, it is a very important subject which we are going to talk about today. We have talked about this subject even before. We had a Starred Question, Unstarred Question, and various other Questions for the last several months.
Coming straight to the point, Sir, the replies that I have got from the hon. Home Minister are with me. Most of the time, when we talked about the modernisation of the police forces in our country, he dwelt on matters pertaining to the allocation of various pre-requisites that he gave to various States in the country, how much he gave to the North East, what he gave to the naxalite areas in Andhra Pradesh, modernisation that he tried to bring about in Maharashtra and Orissa, and such other details.
However, Sir, what I want to tell you is the most important thing. When we talk of modernisation of the para-military forces in our country, we have to take the whole modernisation process in totality. When we start talking about what modernisation means to us in these five States or across the country, we have to take various factors into consideration. I have been repeatedly writing to the Home Minister. I have been getting part of the replies but I have not yet received some of the most operative and important part of the replies from the Ministry.
No doubt, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, and Bihar have been in the grip of naxalite movements. Since I belong to the State of Bihar representing the Parliamentary Constituency of Aurangabad, which is a highly infested naxalite belt, I had requested the Minister through my letter and also gave my suggestions point-wise as to what exactly will be the cure for the minimisation to the naxalite activities in Bihar pertaining to the Central Bihar Zone--Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Rohtas, Gaya, and such other seven Parliamentary districts in Bihar.
Well, I am very sad to say that though there has been a lot of enthusiasm on the part of the hon. Minister and also the Minister of State to take care of the situation in Bihar, the picture that is before you is very dismal.
When I had visited my constituency in the last eight months, I found that there had not been an inch of progress in any form. I had requested the hon. Home Minister to impress upon the Government, both at the Centre and in the State, that communication is the main and the first step to modernisation. If we do not have a proper communication system, the whole question and talk about modernisation is irrelevant. As I told you, Aurangabad is in the grip of the naxalites, of the People War Group, and all kinds of other anti-social elements because of a large-scale unemployment, and also because of bad road condition.
One of the major obstacles to any implementation of your modernisation scheme would be communication. I know that it is not your subject but the Home Ministry has to take modernisation schemes of the Police in co-relation with communication system that exists in the Central Bihar. In the Central Bihar, the National Highway II, which runs for almost 45 to 50 kilometres, is something which deserves a crash kind of application, a very urgent kind of communication and that road has to be made before you will take up the task of modernising the Police.
However, having failed on these fronts, I would request the hon. Minister to even now take stock of the situation and see to it that the Government of India takes up the National Highway No. II as a major issue before they start improving the Police and para military forces in that area.
Sir, most of the questions are in lots in number. We have time constraint because we have also to hear your part of the story.
But my part of the story will be pertaining to three very major points which I would like this august House to take note of, specially, by the Minister. The subject of police modernisation has been raised in this august House before, for as long as I can recall. Suggestions have been made to improve police working and living conditions, provide family housing, buildings for the police stations, improve police mobility, communication and so on. We are informed of various schemes under both Plan and Non-Plan and thousands of crores of rupees are being released for modernising the police. Despite all this, there has been no improvement. I mark the word ‘no’. This is my experience in the last eight months. I am not going to take into account what happened before this Government came to power. I would like to know from the hon. Minister that in these last eight months, what have you been able to do for the State. The popular perception of the police remains unchanged. It is still a colonial instrument of suppression. That is all that the people in Central Bihar know.
Therefore, Sir, a National Police Commission, as I said, was appointed in 1977 which submitted its recommendations in 1980. By all accounts, that Commission did splendid work. We are told that these recommendations were sent to the State Government for implementation. How many of them have been implemented? Would you be kind enough to give me a figure? How many of these programmes have been implemented? Even if we accept that a majority of those have been acted upon, why has the police image still not improved in our State? The police are still, despite the efforts to modernise it, a feudal set up. It is because the more meaningful recommendations have remained unimplemented and which if implemented would have brought about, at least, a small improvement in the functioning of its image. Why, then have they not been acted upon? For instance, it is often said that the police can change the psychology if the statute which gives its authority is revised. Therefore, the police needs a new statute. I would like this august House to make note of this because it will be applicable to all the States. The police needs a new Statute. The 1861 Act ought to go. Why does it not go? I call for a new Police Act which reflects the culture and the social environment of free and modern India. It is said that the people get the police they deserve. Do we not deserve a better police? If we can get it with the new Police Act, let us have it. May I very respectfully request the hon. Minister to fix the time frame for the new Police Act to come into force?
The second point is about the State and the Centre. Whenever we talk of the Paramilitary Forces, whenever we talk of modernisation of the Paramilitary Forces or the Police Forces, at once the answer given to this august House is that it is a State subject. Now, between the State and the Centre, who is going to be the beneficiary and who are going to be the sufferers? A large scale of money is diverted to the State of Bihar. So, it is up to the Government of India, it is the Government of the day, that has to impress upon the Government of Bihar that this is a time-bound programme; these schemes have to be implemented; otherwise, you will come heavily on them. Why is this not done? In India, as I have noticed, in the last six months or eight months of our forum, in this august House, most of the answers given are in the negative. They are saying that they are looking into the matter, we are taking a very serious view of the matter. But, Sir, the public is deprived of all the benefits of the schemes, plans, programmes, modernisation, whatever you may have here. But the public is not getting anything at the ground level. This is the crux of the problem, that is ailing our country. The police is the most important segment of our society. It takes care of the poor and the rich but over the years, I have found that the police have not got that level of commitment. You have to ensure, as a Minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs, that people who are in high places must have a sense of commitment, must have also a minimum degree of integrity.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Your time is up.
SHRIMATI SHYAMA SINGH : I am sorry I will take a minute. They must have a degree of integrity. If you want to modernise the police, then, who are the people who will help you in modernising the police? The instruments are not going to help you to modernise the police. You will send them the instruments but who are the people who are going to use the instrument? The users of these instruments must be those people who are sufficiently motivated to help the entire police force, to get together and see that the programmes, the modernisation equipment which you send them are properly implemented or used, and the common man gets its rewards, gets its due, gets what he wants.
In the Naxalite belt in Aurangabad , I can just tell you that it is a pathetic story. It as even bad in Andhra. Pradesh. There the situation is very bad. But in Bihar, as you know, we have the largest unemployed people in the country and my constituency in particular does not even have a small scale industry. In the absence of all these factors, at least what we require is a good Police Force.
The most important other element of this discussion today is to highlight the fact that none of the erring Police officers has been penalised for a single lapse they have committed on their part the people lost faith in all of them. We have investigations, we have seven para military forces in this country and the people in India have lost faith in all of them. One by one they have lost faith. If any one person comes on the way to do good, the people single them out and they will be penalised. In India who is motivated now and who comes to help us in any manner?
The second part of it is unless you have motivation in anything you do, you will not be able to achieve the target. In Central Bihar you have to ensure that the roads and communications system are better. But , what you are going to do, it is for you as a Government, to do. You have to ensure that the Aurangabad Parliamentary constituency is liveable and we people are not living in mortal fear. That is my submission to you. And with the modernisation, whatever answer you have given me, or for what the hon. Home Minister had given me, I am grateful. As a Minister , I would like the hon. Minister to give the answers to the specific questions posed today about the Police Force and the changes needed.
SHRI G. PUTTA SWAMY GOWDA (HASSAN): Sir, though Police is a State subject as per the Constitution, the Centre cannot shy away from the fundamental responsibility of providing help to the States in the matter of modernisation of Police Forces in the country. Today, our Police Forces are ill-equipped, ill-trained whereas they have to combat the well-equipped anti-social terrorist groups.
If we go through the Budget proposals for the Financial Year 2000-200l, we will see that the Government has provided an amount of only Rs.200 crore for the modernisation of the Police Force. The same amount the Government is going to allocate among all the States. How the Government is going to modernise the Police Force with a such a meagre allocation, it is not known. If you see, today, our country is facing the threats of terrorism, Naxalite movements , as also the ISI of Pakistan. I, therefore, request the Government to increase this allocation to Rs.700 crore.
Our Police draw their powers from the Indian Penal Code of 1860 and the Indian Police Act , l86l were enacted by the British Government keeping in mind their colonial interests. The Police Forces were then used to suppress the Indian people from making any effort to freeing themselves from the British Empire.
Our Police is also known for its brutality. They use their lathi power on peaceful citizens. Daily we hear the police brutalities on innocent people. A Home Ministry report tabled in Parliament in 1991 stated that crime syndicates had corrupted the State machinery at all levels and are running a parallel Government . There is an urgent need to start some courses on human behaviour. As per an estimate, about 10 million criminal cases are pending in various courts in the country. Cases drag on for decades. Prisons are over-crowded. Some undertrials are languishing in jails for decades for petty crimes. The Police do not have the time to investigate the cases. A speedy completion of cases is a must. Otherwise people who have some faith in the judicial process will lose faith in justice.
My State , Karnataka has demanded Rs.400 crore for the modernisation of the Police Force. While some States are getting financial assistance from the Centre for this purpose, Karnataka is not getting this help on the ground that it is a a revenue surplus State.
This is not so. The State’s resources are so scarce that it cannot modernise its police force to meet the growing challenge from naxalite groups which are making an inroads into the State. I, therefore, request you to kindly allocate Rs. 400 crore to my State for the modernisation of police force.
श्री विजय गोयल (चांदनी चौक) : सभापति महोदय, मैं आपका धन्यवाद करता हूं। कांस्टीटयूशन ऑफ इंडिया के सातवें शेडयूल के लिस्ट सैकिंड के अनुसार पुलिस फोर्स राज्य का विषय है। मैं गृह मंत्रालय का धन्यवाद करता हूं। देश भर में इंटरनल सिक्योरिटी का जो सिनेरियो बना है, उसे देखते हुए उसने राज्यों को मैचिंग ग्रांट रिलीज की। यह १९६९ से १९८० तक दस साल में ५२ करोड़ थी, १९८० से १९९० तक ११० करोड थी, १९९१ से १९९९ में ३२० करोड़ थी और १९९९ में ४६४ करोड़ आगे आने वाले दस सालों के लिए हो गई। जिस प्रकार देश में आंतरिक सुरक्षा का बहुत बड़ा खतरा बना है, क्राइम ऑर्गेनाइज और माफिया जो काम कर रहे हैं, उसे देखते हुए मैं गृह मंत्री से कहंगा कि ये फंड बहुत कम रहेंगे। गृह मंत्रालय की रिपोर्ट में चीफ सैक्रेट्री की मीटिंग में कहा गया क "The Union Home Secretary addressed a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all the State Governments and Union Territories on 16.7.1999 pointing out that the threat to our national security had increased manifold and asking for closer Centre-State/Union Territory and State-State cooperation in the maintenance of internal security."
इस सब के चलते मुझे लगता है कि ये फंड्स बहुत कम हैं। उसकी ज्यादा व्यवस्था करनी चाहिए। जितनी भी पुलिस फोर्स है चाहे बी.एस.एफ. हो, सी.आर.पी.एफ. हो, आई.टी.बी.पी. हो, दिल्ली पुलिस हो, इनकी अलग-अलग समस्याएं हैं। दिल्ली पुलिस केन्द्र के अन्तर्गत आती है लेकिन इसकी व्यवस्थाएं बहुत अच्छी नहीं हैं। उदाहरण के लिए दिल्ली पुलिस की जो क्राइम ब्रांच है, जिसे इंटरनेशनल क्राइम और नेशनल ऑर्गेनाइज्ड क्राइम को डिटैक्ट करना होता है, उस क्राइम ब्रांच के क्राइम इंसपैक्टर के पास एक गाड़ी नहीं होती है। आप एस.एच.ओ. को गाड़ी देते हैं, आप ट्रैफिक इंसपैक्टर को गाड़ी देते हैं, लेकिन क्राइम ब्रांच के इंसपैक्टर के पास गाड़ी नहीं है जिससे वह अपनी डयूटी पूरी कर सके। उसके नीचे स्टाफ नहीं होता जबकि क्राइम ब्रांच सबसे महत्वपूर्ण डिपार्टमैंट है। जब ऐसा होगा तो मुझे नहीं लगता कि कोई भी क्राइम ब्रांच में काम करेगा। मुझे यह बात समझ नहीं आती कि आज भी दिल्ली पुलिस में कांस्टेबल की भर्ती करते समय आठवीं या दसवीं पास को क्यों लिया जाता है जबकि आपके पास ग्रेजुएट उपलब्ध हैं और वे प्रचुर मात्रा में हैं। यह उस समय होता होगा जब ज्यादा लोग शक्षित नहीं होते होंगे लेकिन आज जब लोग शक्षित हैं तब आठवीं-दसवीं पास को क्यों लिया जाता है? जिस कांस्टेबल को पढ़ाई-लिखाई का भी काम करना पड़ता है, ऐसे में ग्रेजुएट कांस्टेबल की भर्ती करनी चाहिए। वे कांस्टेबल के बाद हैड कांस्टेबल, फिर सब-इंसपैक्टर बनते हैं। आपने देखा होगा कि कोर्ट में ज्यादातर मुकदमों में अपराधी इसलिए छूट जाते हैं कि कम पढ़े-लिखे कांस्टेबल हैं। वे शायद केस को पूरी तरह तैयार नहीं कर पाते, उसके कागजात पूरी तरह तैयार नहीं कर पाते, इसलिए मेरा अनुरोध है कि मॉडर्नाइज करते वक्त यह भी देखा जाए। आपने देखा होगा कि पुलिस के सिपाहियों को ड्राइविंग नहीं आती। मैंने गृह मंत्री जी को काफी महीने पहले एक सुझाव भेजा था कि जब भी भर्ती करें तो उन्हें कहा जाए कि वह ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस साथ लाएं। ऐसे में वे ड्राइविंग सीख कर आएंगे। ऐसी बहुत सी चीजों को गृह मंत्रालय देखे।
दूसरी बात पुलिस में बढ़ता भ्रष्टाचार है। जब आप एक सिपाही, इंस्पैक्टर और एस.एच.ओ. से २४ घंटे काम करवाएंगे तो आप क्या अपेक्षा करेंगे? आज सरकारी कर्मचारी केवल आठ घंटे काम कर रहे हैं। इसका कारण यह है कि पुलिस में भ्रष्टाचार है। आज दिल्ली पुलिस में मॉडर्नाइजेशन नहीं है। उसे आधुनिक किया जाना चाहिए। आज दिल्ली में १७ नए थाने खुले हैं लेकिन उनकी स्थिति अच्छी नहीं है। हमारे पास मॉडर्न इक्विपमैंट्स नहीं हैं जबकि अपराधियों के पास हर तरह के आधुनिक हथियार हैं। यदि उन्हें सॉफ्स्िटकेटिड वैपन्स दे दिए जाएं तो अच्छा होगा। वी.आई.पी. सिक्योरिटी के लिए जितने पुलिस के सिपाही दिए जाते हैं, उसके लिए हर थाने को डिस्टर्ब किया जाता है। क्यों न वी.आई.पी. सिक्योरिटी के लिए अलग कैडर बना दिया जाए जिससे थाने डिस्टर्ब नहीं होंगे। आज क्राइम बड़े साइंटफिक हो गए हैं। इसके लिए अलग कैडर बनाना चाहिए। कैडर फॉर साइंटफिक रिसर्च बनाने चाहिए। लैप्स भी होते हैं।
वह केवल हैदराबाद के अंदर है। मुझे लगता है कि देश के अंदर आंतरिक सुरक्षा को देखते हुये पुलिस को माडर्नाइजेशन किये जाने की आवश्यकता है।
प्रो. रासा सिंह रावत (अजमेर): सभापति महोदय, पुलिस का काम कानून का पालन और जनता की रक्षा करना है। आदर्श तो यह होना चाहिये कि जनता और पुलिस का परस्पर विश्वास हो लेकिन आज परिस्थिति विपरीत होती जा रही है। आज अनेक विषमतम परिस्थितियों के बीच में पुलिस को किस प्रकार सांमजस्य बैठाने के लिये अनुकूल बनायें, इसके लिये आधुनिकीकरण की आवश्यकता है। इससे पहले कि मैं अपना प्रश्न पूछूं, मैं केवल इतना कहना चाहता हूं कि आज देशभर में १८ लाख पुलिसकर्मियों पर ६ हजार करोड़ रुपये की धनराशि खर्च की जाती है फिर भी लोगों में अराजकता की भावना है और आंतरिक सुरक्षा के अभाव में वातावरण बिगड़ता चला जा रहा है। अभी श्रीमती श्यामा सिंह ने बिहार के औरंगाबाद क्षेत्र का चित्रण किया । इससे तो वहां की हालत और बद रहती है। जो नक्सलवाद से प्रभावित राज्य हैं, उसके अलावा देश के अन्य राज्यों में भी रक्षक ही भक्षक बनकर खड़ा है। विश्वसनीयता और पारदर्शिता का नाम नहीं है। ऐसी स्थिति में १९७१-७२ में श्री धर्मवीर की अध्यक्षता में पुलिस आयोग बनाया गया था जिसने पुलिस के पुनर्गठन के संबंध में तथा उसमें सुधार के लिये अच्छे सुझाव दिये थे। मुझे पं. जवाहर लाल नेहरू के वे शब्द याद आ रहे हैं जिसमें उन्होंने कहा था कि पुलिस की सर्वश्रेष्ठ भूमिका सर्वसाधारण का मार्गदर्शन करना और उनकी रक्षा करना है। इसके लिये वह जनता का विश्वास और विश्वसनीयता बनाये रखे, .यह बहुत आवश्यक है। इसलिये मैं आपके माध्यम से भारत सरकार से जानना चाहता हूं कि पुलिस को आधुनिक समाजोन्मुखी एवं ज्यादा सक्षम बनाने के लिये क्या पूर्व गृह सचिव श्री पद्मनाभैया के नेतृत्व में कोई उच्चस्तरीय कमटी गठित की गई है, यदि हां तो क्या उसमें सभी पुलिस के सेवामुक्त और सेवारत पुलिस के लोग ही सदस्य हैं ? इसमें क्यों किसी समाजशास्त्री को सम्मिलित नहीं किया गया है या कोई विशेषज्ञ सम्मिलित किया गया जो आधुनिक परिस्थितियों के अनुरूप सुझाव दे सकें?
सभापति महोदय, उपरोक्त कमेटी को १२ मुद्दे सौंपे गये हैं जिनमें ६ पुलिस के आधुनिकीकरण के संबंध में हैं। क्या मंत्री जी इन पर प्रकाश डालेंगे और क्या केन्द्र सरकार ने पुलिस के आधुनीकरण हेतु राज्य सरकारों को कोई प्रोस्पैक्टिव प्लान भेज दिया है यदि हां, तो केन्द्र सरकार उस पर क्या कदम उठाने जा रही है?
SHRI SONTOSH MOHAN DEV (SILCHAR): Sir, there are only two or three Members left. Kindly allow them also to speak for one minute each.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Okay, only one minute each as a special case.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN (CHIRAYINKIL): Sir, police force can be modernised in two ways. One is giving them all the modern facilities, including computer facilities and all that, and the other is providing them the latest and modern weapons also. But the most important thing is that there must be interaction between the public and the police. That is the most important thing which I would like to stress on. The police force was organised by the British rulers as a means of cruel oppression and suppression of the people’s movement, and it was used for that purpose. The police force will have to be modernised. They must have liaison with the public. The Human Rights Commission also is appointed to look into custodial deaths. Custodial deaths have become a common thing. These must be prevented and there must be a healthy co-ordination between the public and the police. That is the way the police force will have to be modernised. The Government will have to issue directions to the State Governments to modernise the police, in the sense that there must be constant touch between the people and the police, and the police should serve as people’s representative and people’s friend.
That feeling must be created in the minds of people, especially those residing in the villages. So, there must be that constant touch between the people and the police.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA (MAVELIKARA): Now, the Government is inviting the police from the Scotland Yard to enquire into match-fixing episode elf is an example of the need for modernising police force in our country. Earlier, this police force was an instrument for the suppression during the colonial rule. Now, according to the changing situation, the police force should be given a new face.
Sir, there are three points which I want to raise. The first point is of the low conviction rate. The second one is the work pressure of the police. The third thing is the quality of the police officers. Sir, recent studies reveal that the quality of the IPS officers is coming down and it is because of the lack of proper training. Since we want a modern police, proper training is the most important aspect rocess of modernisation of police. The modern facilities are definitely an integral part of this process. At the same time, proper training should be given to the IPS officers and police personnel so that we can make the police more effective to serve the common man.
SHRI SONTOSH MOHAN DEV (SILCHAR): Mr. Chairman Sir, we come from an area, the North-East, where terrorist activities have been growing day by day and therefore, that area needs to be upgraded in terms of modernisation of the facilities provided to the local police. AK-47 rifle is used merrily by the terrorists and 303 rifle is not an answer to that. As a result of this, we have seen that when the terrorists come to an area in the remote villages, the police go away from that area to some other area. Money is being given by the Government - it is not that they are starving of money – but it is not properly utilised. This money is mostly used by high officials for their comfort. One police officer with a new vehicle, three escorts and 30 constables is not necessary. What is necessary is to protect people. The Government is giving money for protecting the people who are affected in the areas, but this money is being used for the comfort of the high officials for their security and not for the security of the people. That is why, I say that the money which is given should be monitored properly by the Central Government through its agencies. It should not be given where there is misuse of it and it should be deployed where it is necessary. This is my humble submission.
श्री सानछुमा खुंगुर बैसीमुथियारी (कोकराझार) : सभापति महोदय, आपने मुझे इस मुद्दे पर बोलने का समय दिया इसके लिए मैं आपका आभार मानता हूं। मैं बोड़ोलैंड से चुनकर आया सांसद हूं। मॉडर्नाइजेशन ऑफ पुलिस के बारे में जो यहां चर्चा हो रही है, मैं उस मुद्दे पर कुछ बोलना चाहता हूं। मैं तीन सुझाव देना चाहता हूं। मेरा पहला सुझाव है कि पुलिस को मॉडर्नाइज करने के लिए, मजबूत बनाने के लिए सोफिस्टीकेटिड आम्र्स एंड एम्युनीशंस की आवश्यकता है, यह जरूरी है, मैं मानता हूं। लेकिन इसके साथ-साथ जो पुलिस पर्सोनैल हैं, उन्हें हयूमैन राइट्स के बारे में, इंसानियत के बारे में प्रशक्षित करने की आवश्यकता है, ताकि उनमें हयूमैन राइट्स के प्रति भावना में वृद्धि हो, यह अभी तक नहीं किया गया है। इसलिए मेरा सुझाव है कि पुलिस के लोगों को मॉडर्न आम्र्स एंड एम्युनीशंस देने के साथ-साथ हयूमैन राइट्स के बारे में ट्रेनिंग देने की आवश्यकता है। क्योंकि आतंकवादियों को पकङने के नाम पर नॉर्थ ईस्टर्न रीजन में बोड़ोलैंड के बहुत से निर्दोष लोगों पर पुलिस द्वारा हमले किये गये हैं। A lot of innocent people have already been killed by police in the name of taming the militants whereas the real culprits, the militants are going scot-free.
सभापति महोदय, मेरा तीसरा सुझाव है कि हिंदुस्तान में अगर समस्याओं का समाधान वार्ता के जरिये हो सकता है यानी पीसफुल्ली हम समस्याएं हल कर सकते हैं तो पुलिस फोर्स पर इतना रुपया खर्च करके उसे मजबूत करने की जरूरत नहीं है। लेकिन आज हिंदुस्तान में समस्याएं हल नहीं हो पा रही हैं। इसलिए हमारा आग्रह है कि बोडोलैंड की मांग सरकार को स्वीकार करनी चाहिए।
18.00 hrs Therefore, I would like to appeal to the Government of India to concede the burning demand, which is long awaited, for a separate State of Bodoland on a permanent footing. … (Interruptions)
SHRI V.P. SINGH BADNORE (BHILWARA): Sir, though everybody has gone, we have been sitting. Therefore, we must be given a chance to speak. When everybody has gone away, we would have also gone. Please give us just two minutes at least so that we are able to give one suggestion each and not more that.
सभापति महोदय : नियम ऐसा नहीं कहता है।
श्री विजयेन्द्र पाल सिंह बदनोर (भीलवाड़ा) : नियम तो आप ही बनाते हैं।
सभापति महोदय : नियम नहीं कहता है लेकिन पंचों की राय हो तो एक एक मिनट सबको दे सकते हैं।
अभी छ: बज चुके हैं। अगर सदन की सहमति हो तो मंत्री महोदय के उत्तर देने तक हम सदन का समय बढ़ा सकते हैं।
अनेक माननीय सदस्य : जी हां।
सभापति महोदय : सदन का समय मंत्री महोदय के उत्तर देने तक बढ़ाया जाता है।
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI CH. VIDYASAGAR RAO): Mr. Chairman, Sir, this discussion emanates from a Starred Question No. 262. My senior colleague, Shri Lal Krishna Advani, was kind enough to clarify most of the points raised by the hon. Members. However, since they wanted some more discussion, the hon. Speaker was pleased to admit this Half-an-Hour discussion.
At the outset, I would like to submit one thing. The hon. Member has stated that the people of this country are losing confidence in the paramilitary forces day by day. There is no iota of truth in that allegation. Under the leadership of Shri Lal Krishna Advani, all the paramilitary forces, which are under his command, are effectively discharging their official duties.… (Interruptions)
SHRI SONTOSH MOHAN DEV (SILCHAR): No Member of Parliament has lost his faith in the paramilitary forces. Please do not allow this to go on record. We have appreciated the paramilitary forces all the time. Please do not say that the Members have said like this. One or two Members might have said like that. We know as to how the paramilitary forces are discharging their duties for us. They are doing a good work.
SHRI CH. VIDYASAGAR RAO: Sir, I am confining myself to the subject. Since she mentioned about the paramilitary forces, it is our bounden duty to defend the forces. They are fighting insurgency and naxalism and are engaged in other activities. Therefore, I have to submit that the people have not lost confidence in them. Of course, there may be some differences.
Mr. Chairman, Sir, under the command of Shri Lal Krishna Advani, all the paramilitary forces, by putting their lives at stake, are effectively discharging their duties in this country. Therefore, I think, it may not be proper to attribute anything to the paramilitary forces.
To combat naxalism, ISI activities, insurgency and all other disturbances from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, for the first time, under the leadership of Shri Lal Krishna Advani, particularly to contain the menace of naxalism, a number of meetings were conducted. A Coordination Centre has been created with the Home Secretary as the Chairman, and all the Director Generals of Police of the respective States have been included as members. They are regularly taking suggestions from various State Governments, and they are also sharing the inputs given by the Intelligence agencies. Not only that, for the first time, under the Chairmanship of Shri Advani, two meetings with the Chief Ministers concerned were held. One meeting was held at Hyderabad, the second meeting was held at Delhi, and suggestions were taken on that day. These are the good signs.
However, admittedly, we cannot avoid this subject. As per entry 2 in List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, `Police"" is a State subject. As such, it is the primary responsibility of the State Government to train, equip and modernise their Police forces to keep them abreast of the changing security and law and order scenario in this country.
However, Mr. Chairman, Sir, the Central Government continues to help various State Governments in many sectors. One is modernisation of police stations. Modernisation, of course, includes training the police and equipping them with sophisticated weapons, but to inculcate ethical values is a different subject. Madam has suggested that we should have a new enactment for the Police, but that is a different subject. As far as law and order and modernisation of police forces cerned, the Central Government started a Scheme in the year 1969-70, which is still continuing.
The total amount of assistance given to States for modernisation of police forces 980 was 52.24 crore. Assistance given in the second phase, from 1980-89 to 1990-1991, was Rs.110 crore. Assistance given was Rs.20 crore for 1991-92. For 1992-93 to 1995-96, it was Rs.120 crore, that is, Rs.30 crore each year.
Security-related expenditure is given to the naxalite-infested States, i.e., Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. The hon. Member was concerned about Bihar. As far as Bihar is concerned, it is not that the amounts, whether for security-related expenditure or for modernisation of police stations, have not been spent. Money has been spent in Bihar. There are police stations, there is police, and there are weapons in Bihar. Yet the situation there is very bad. That has to be tackled. Besides this, the total allocation as per the Tenth Finance Commission’s approval was Rs.483.39 crore for police housing, training, telecommunications and police stations. Out of this amount, the total release made up to 31st March, 2000 was Rs.300.71 crore.
As far as North-East is concerned, a new scheme has been formulated with effect from the financial year 1997-98 for modernisation of the police forces in the North-Eastern States under which arms and ammunition, vehicles and communication and other equipment is being provided in kind. This scheme is 100 per cent funded by the Central Government. As far as security related expenditure is concerned … (Interruptions)
SHRI SANSUMA KHUNGGUR BWISWMUTHIARY (KOKRAJHAR): May I know one thing from you? What amount of money has been given to the Government of Assam for spending on police modernisation and what sort of modernisation has been done so far by the Assam Government?
SHRIMATI SHYAMA SINGH : What about Bihar?
SHRI CH. VIDYASAGAR RAO: An amount of Rs.9 crore has already been given to Bihar; Rs.4.5 crore have been adjusted; and Rs.4.5 crore are yet to be cleared as far as Bihar is concerned.
Tenth Finance commission has not made any allocation for the revenue-surplus States like Karnataka. So, it is not possible to give funds to Karnataka and three other States. The Eleventh Finance Commission is also doing some exercise. We ve given a projection.
An hon. Member has mentioned about the perspective plan for modernisation. The Union Home Secretary has written a letter in this regard to all the States on 16th July, 1999. About 22 States and three Union Territories have submitted their perspective plans so far, in which they have indicated their estimated expenditure for purchase of vehicles, equipment, arms and ammunition, and for construction of buildings, training, forensic science laboratories communication etc. Exhorbitantly high estimates have been submitted by some States in their perspective plans. There is a wide variation in the perspective plans submitted by different States ranging from Rs.55 lakh to Rs.4241 crore. While one State proposed only Rs.55 lakh, another State, i.e., Rajasthan, has proposed a perspective plan of Rs..4241 crore. These plans are under close examination.
Though this is a subject pertaining to State Governments, the Central Government is extending its full help under various counts.
SHRIMATI SHYAMA SINGH : Mr. Chairman, Sir, please allow me one minute.
सभापति महोदय : सभा की कार्यवाही ८ मई सोमवार, ११ बजे पूर्वाहन तक के लिये स्थगित की जाती है।
1810 hours The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Eleven of the Clock on Monday, May 8, 2000/Vaisakha 18, 1922(Saka)
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