Police Modernisation Scheme in India
Core Issues in India’s Police Force
- Severe Understaffing: Out of a sanctioned strength of 28 lakh, actual strength is only 21 lakh, resulting in nearly 21% vacancies across states and UTs.
- Role Imbalance: Only 36% of police personnel work in critical law and order roles, while the rest are bogged down in administrative duties.
- Colonial Framework: Most state forces are still governed by the antiquated Police Act of 1861, maintaining a colonial, ruler-oriented character rather than a citizen-centric one.
- Forensic Crisis: India has only one forensic expert per 9 lakh population, severely weakening the scientific investigation of crimes.
- Stress & Representation: Women constitute only 12% of total police strength. Occupational stress is alarmingly high, with 83.8% of personnel reporting severe stress impacting professional judgment.
About the MPF Scheme (Modernisation of Police Forces)
Funding Structure
Follows a 60:40 Centre-State funding ratio for general states, and 90:10 for North-Eastern and special category states. Funds are solely for capital expenditure, not recurring salaries.
Weapons & Mobility
Focuses on upgrading from outdated WWII-era weapons to modern firearms, alongside procurement of vehicles, motorcycles, and watercraft for rapid emergency response.
Smart Policing & CCTNS
Integration of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) across 16,000+ police stations, enabling real-time data sharing via the Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
Infrastructure Upgrades
Establishing state and mobile forensic labs, constructing modern police training academies, shooting ranges, and dedicated police housing to improve personnel welfare.
Challenges in Implementation
Underutilisation of Funds
Many states consistently fail to fully utilise their allocated MPF funds within the given scheme period, hampering physical progress.
Salary Dominance
State police budgets remain heavily skewed toward salary expenditures, leaving very little actual capital for hardware modernisation.
Reform Avoidance
Modernisation often focuses entirely on hardware (weapons, cars) rather than the institutional and attitudinal reforms that are urgently needed.
Prakash Singh Non-Compliance
Despite the landmark 2006 Supreme Court directions, independent Police Complaints Authorities remain largely non-functional across most states.
