The government is undertaking a comprehensive modernisation programme to organize the police and paramilitary forces of the country for newer challenges of terrorism, cyber crime and border security, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said here on Wednesday.
Shah made the remarks while addressing a joint column of police and Central Armed Police Forces jawans and officers at the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri here on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.
The day is observed to pay homage to 10 policemen (of the CRPF) killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh’s thermal spring area.
Armies of both the countries are currently locked during a military standoff within the Ladakh area.
“The work of police is witnessing new challenges and new dimensions within the areas of terrorism, fake currency, narcotics control, cyber crime, arms smuggling, human trafficking. it’s a challenge to organize the police forces for the new dimensions that have emerged within the last 2-3 decades,” Shah said.
“We have prepared a comprehensive modernisation programme for the police and that i am hopeful that within the coming days the Modi government will prepare them to satisfy these challenges,” he said.
He said the govt is bringing in technology to form the country’s borders “impregnable” and detailed preparations are being made.
The technology and promptness of troops will go hand-in-hand and “we are going to be ready to better secure our borders”, he said.
Shah also said that the govt was “going to try to to many things” in order that the deficiency in availability of police personnel per one lakh population is addressed.
He lauded the police personnel for ensuring internal and border security within the country with their vigilance.
He said a complete of 35,398 police and CAPF personnel have laid down their lives within the line of duty till now with 264 making the supreme sacrifice within the past year.
Shah also remembered the 343 personnel who were killed thanks to COVID-19 and said these personnel continued on duty to assist people, donate blood and plasma.
He added “many changes” will soon be visible within the context of police housing satisfaction ratio and training which his ministry was performing on these issues.
