THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police will soon get a facelift as the state government has sanctioned Rs 58.5 crore for various projects, including fortifying flood-affected police stations in the state, as part of modernizing the police force.The last budget earmarked Rs 159 crore for various schemes and activities for the Police Department’s modernisation during the current financial year.
A sum of Rs 7 crore was also provided for gender-specific schemes in the department, taking the total allocation to Rs 166 crore.
Of the total allocation, administrative sanction for projects worth Rs 88.40 had already been provided and the new government order has given sanction to take up various infrastructure activities and upgrading the services to the tune of Rs 58.50 crore.
P Vijayan, IG (Administration), Police Headquarters, told Express around 11 police stations were completely damaged in the flood, while 34 were partially destroyed. Various schemes for the modernisation of the force were designed to equip cops with modern gadgets and infrastructure. The modernisation scheme also focuses on improving police mobility, training infrastructure, computerisation and other facilities.
The government order also made it clear all the purchases should be done in accordance with the existing rule and regulations of the Store Purchase Department and Electronic and IT Department, while all the works have to be carried out after preparing a detailed estimate in the PRICE software.
An accredited agency has to be selected for implementing the project or activities listed under the scheme, the order said.
This is the third instalment under the scheme, said officers. Earlier, the state government had given clearance to purchase ammunition and vehicles under the funds.
Projects
The works for which the permission has been granted include the construction of integrated training centres (Rs 5 crore), infrastructure development of Kerala Police Academy (Rs 8 crore), construction of SBCID range office buildings, construction of quarter guard and training centre in Vanitha Battalion (Rs 1.5 crore), construction of upper subordinate quarters (Rs 1.5 crore), fortification of police stations (Rs 20 crore), construction of buildings for new police stations and police stations working in rented buildings (Rs 14.4 crore), setting up of district control rooms (Rs 80 lakh), and construction of district training centres (Rs 4.5 crore).
Proposal to ensure smart standards
The working group meeting has submitted a proposal for the construction of own buildings for 36 police stations (two/three phases for which H49.43 crore is estimated) and upgrading 50 existing police station buildings to ensure acceptable smart standards with H5 lakh for each station. A sum of H20 crore has been sanctioned in this phase for the project.