Action plan for police modernization finalised for 2016-17

Bhubaneswar: The State Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) today finalized the action plan for modernization of Odisha Police for the current fiscal.

Presiding over the meeting at the State Secretariat here, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed the concerned authorities to procure equipment that are robust, compatible and can be used effectively.

He also advised the police to make use of the equipment supplied to Odisha Disaster Response Force (ODRAF) to keep them in good condition. The action plan focused on modernization of anti-terrorist and anti-Maoist operation systems.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh said the finalized action plan would be submitted to the state government and the Centre for approval.

IG (Modernization) Sushant Kumar Nath said the action plan for 2016-17 has been estimated at around Rs 29 crore. The plan has focused on modernization of arms, modern equipment for police operations, traffic management, upgradation of intelligence gathering system, CCTV surveillance, law and order surveillance, upgradation of communication system, facilities for state CID and Fingerprints Bureau etc.

The financial assistance would be provided by Centre and the state government on a 60:40 ratio. Earlier the scheme was being funded on 75:25 ratio.