Centre approves continuation of Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) scheme

The Centre has approved the continuation of the umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) for five years up to 2025-26 with a financial outlay of Rs 26,275 crore.

The scheme includes security-related expenditure in Jammu & Kashmir, northeastern states and Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, for raising new battalions, developing high-tech forensic laboratories and other investigation tools.

Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF)

• ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. However, the efforts of the states for equipping and modernising their police forces have been supplemented by the Centre.

• In September 2017, the umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) was approved by the government. The objective was to bring all the relevant schemes that contribute to modernising the police forces and improve their functioning at one place in the Union Budget.

This umbrella scheme has two verticals:

1) Police Modernisation 

2) Security Related Expenditure (SRE)

• Under these two verticals, there are sub-schemes such as Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project and e-Prisons project, which have been made operational in all the states/UTs. 

• This umbrella scheme also includes sub-schemes of ‘Assistance to States for Modernisation of Police’ and ‘Assistance to States for Special Projects /Programmes for Upgrading Police Infrastructure’ to assist state governments in modernisation of police forces.

Major allocations of the scheme:

• Provision has been made under the scheme for internal security, law and order, adoption of modern technology by police, assisting states for narcotics control and strengthening the criminal justice system by developing a robust forensic setup in the country.

• The scheme for modernisation of state police forces has a central outlay of Rs 4,846 crore.

• A central scheme for modernisation of forensic capacities with outlay of Rs 2,080.50 crore has been approved. It is to develop operationally independent high-quality forensic sciences facilities in states/UTs for aiding scientific and timely investigation through modernisation of resources. 

• Central outlay of Rs 18,839 crore has been earmarked for security related expenditure for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, insurgency affected North Eastern States and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas.

• With the implementation of ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ for combating LWE, the LWE violence incidents have come down drastically. To further pursue this accomplishment, six LWE related schemes with central outlay of Rs 8,689 crore have been approved. These schemes include Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Most LWE Affected Districts & Districts of Concern to consolidate the gains. 

• For raising of India Reserve Battalions/Specialised India Reserve Battalions, central outlay of Rs 350 crore has been approved.

• Central sector scheme of ‘Assistance to States & Union Territories for Narcotics Control’ with outlay of Rs 50 crore has been continued.

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