VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that there should be a visible change in the functioning of the Police Department and reduction in the rate of crime compared to the previous YSRC regime, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the government would release Rs 61 crore as its share for the modernisation of the department and capacity building.
Naidu held a review meeting of the Home Department at the State Secretariat in Velagapudi on Wednesday, and expressed his worry over the increased rate of crime in the last five years. He further encouraged police officials to take necessary measures in order to control the crime rate, and win the public confidence back.
The Chief Minister further said he will personally monitor the investigation of important cases, and said he is ready to bring new laws to curb cyber crimes in the wake of increasing incidents of cybercrimes and newly emerging crimes.
He also directed the Home Minister to make sure that cybercrime police stations be set up in all the districts. Also, Naidu strictly told the police officers to act tough against those committing offences against girls and women, ganja smugglers and peddlers and other anti-social elements.
Addressing the media after the review meeting, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the CM instructed the officials concerned to mobilise funds from the Centre for the establishment of the State’s own greyhounds training centre, police training academy, training academy for State Disaster Response Force and forensic science laboratory.
Anitha further attributed the increase of crime rate, including ganja cases, cybercrime, thefts and other crimes, to the previous YSRCP government’s failure to modernise police force, and claimed that the present government is giving top priority to strengthening police infrastructure.
“We got a nod from the CM to purchase new vehicles to replace old and poor conditioned vehicles. On many occasions, several ministers complained to me regarding the poor condition of vehicles in the Police Department,” she said.
DGP Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao informed the CM that the overall rate of crime in the State has increased by more than 40 per cent in 2019-24 compared to the previous TDP regime in 2014-2019, atrocities against women observed a rise of 35 per cent and ganja cases doubled.