BHUBANESWAR: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Odisha Police has launched an e-module for inventory management of its arms, ammunition and munitions.
With the web-based software becoming operational, police districts will now not have to physically submit documents to the State Police Headquarters regarding their requirements and usage of arms and ammunition.
The e-module will help the senior officers to monitor the stock, requirements and usage of the arms and ammunition of all the police districts in the state. “It has the entire list of registered arms provided to the police personnel of all ranks and the current stock of ammunition and munitions (tear gas) available with every police district,” said a senior police officer.
Through the software, senior officers can collect information about which police personnel has been provided with what type of weapon. It will also help to ascertain the firing standards set for police personnel of different ranks when they undertake the annual range course.
“Police personnel of different ranks have to fire fixed number of rounds during the annual range course. The software will assist in finding out if any police district has a shortfall of ammunition to carry out range courses, training and operational activities,” said sources.
The data on the number of bullet shells, collected from annual range course centres and training facilities, will also be maintained on the software so that they can be later sold to Metal Scrap and Trade Corporation limited.
“This apart, the e-module will help us to collect the details of the ammunition used during an exchange of fire, to know if any police personnel has lost his/her registered weapon and maintain information about the life span of the arms,” said the senior police officer.
The software was recently launched by DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi in the presence of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack police commissioner Sanjeeb Panda, IG (provisioning) Yatindra Koyal and others.
Odisha Police is moving towards a paperless regime as it is also planning to launch two more e-modules consisting of information about its buildings/lands and to know the status of the tenders floated to procure various equipment.