The police, a necessary component of a State, are responsible for maintaining law and order so that the State is facilitated in carrying forward its programme of development and progress according to planning done by responsible authorities. By and large the police are a supportive mechanism for efficient and good governance. Given human weaknesses, people tend to go astray from the path of smooth citizenship and observance of the laws of the land. Society cannot be allowed to be disrupted by a handful of lawless people. The police are required to ensure that lawlessness is prevented.
The concept of modernizing the police emerged when there appeared change in social order and new challenges looked the police in their eye. It was found that old and traditional method of deploying police for the duty of maintaining law and order was not possible unless the police are reformed drastically in almost all of its branches, training, equipment, arms, tactics, planning and motivation. The situation in the State of Jammu and Kashmir changed drastically with the emergence of militancy and insurgency in early 1990. The nature of militancy and its scope were unprecedented because militancy was sponsored by a neighbouring country and the tactics employed were peculiarly different. The methodology employed by the militant elements was to strike with a small manpower of 3 to 4 persons but well- trained, well-briefed and well-equipped with arms and communication paraphernalia. It was soon realized that the police with its traditional structure and delivery system was unable to cope with the situation that grew out of an environment of insurgency and militancy. This kind of militancy was necessarily mass related and the police was not equipped with either the methodology or the tactics of meeting mass protests without causing harm to human lives.
These were the circumstances that made the State and Central security organizations come to the conclusion that no small and sporadic reform would be helpful keeping in mind the nature and scope of militancy. Therefore, the scheme called Police Modernization Plan was formulated and some of the more sensitive states including J&K were brought under this scheme. The purpose was to upgrade and modernize the police in all areas and make it fit to meet the challenge caused by militancy and related developments. The scheme enfolded a new vision of police organization from infrastructure to academic approach to the role it is called upon to play. Therefore there was countrywide plan of modernizing the police force. For the State of Jammu and Kashmir, infested as it is with militant elements, the Ministry of Home Affairs, under whose jurisdiction police force falls, made considerable annual allocations defining the heads for which the money had to be spent. By all means the amounts annually allocated were good enough to bring about sea change in the structure of the Police force of the State. Just to give an idea of the quantum of financial support for modernization of police the State of Jammu and Kashmir is expected to receive 35 crore rupees for the financial year 2015-16 though it has not yet been formally announced.
The point is that allocations for police modernization scheme are made under prescribed procedures and the recipient states/organizations are supposed to fully observe those norms. One important norm on which the MHA has been laying stress is the submission of Utilization Certificate (UC). The recipient States/Departments are supposed to forward to the Ministry of Home Affairs the certificates indicating how much money was received and how much has been spent under various heads and how much remains unspent. This is the normal procedure with all developmental grants given to the State. But it is disappointing to know that Jammu & Kashmir Government has not forwarded the UCs for the financial years 2012-13 an 2013-4. In spite of the Ministry of Home Affair asking the State Government to furnish the certificates, there was no compliance. As a result the MHA is now constrained to inform the State Home Department that in a situation of non submission of UCs, it may not be possible for the MHA to consider allocations under the scheme for the financial year 2015-16.
We fail to understand why the State Government allows things to come to this pass. On the one hand the State asks for more grants on the plea that it has to confront militancy in the State in its various forms but on the other hand it becomes a victim of sloth and inactivity in the matter of modernizing the police that has to bear the brunt of assaults by the militants. We would implore upon the Home Department and the Police authorities to expedite submission of UCs to the MHA without delay. At the same time we would approach the MHA to be more tolerant with the State in this very crucial matter and not to drag the matter to extremes. Security of the State is a very sensitive matter and we should also try to understand a plethora of difficulties, obstructions and shortfalls that are in the way of fully modernizing the police force of the State. This matter needs to be handled with patience and understanding on both sides.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel