Data on Police Organisations: BPRD

• 30 Dec 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has released data on police organisations.

• It shows different aspects of policing in the country like woman police, police expenditure, constabulary ratio, transport facilities, communication facilities, representation of various castes and police training centres.

Key Points

• General Data:
  
  • The government has spent Rs. 1,566.85 crore in 2019-20 for expenditure and police training.
  • It highlights that Backward Classes, Dalits and Tribals constitute almost 67% of India’s population, but their representation in police forces in the country is only at 51%.
    
    • The goal of proportionate representation has remained unfulfilled despite all state governments providing reservation to these categories.
• Vacant Posts:
  
  • Over 5.31 lakh posts in police forces of different states and 1.27 lakh posts in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are lying vacant.
    
    • The figures include civil police, district armed police, special armed police and India Reserve Battalions.
• Scheduled Tribes:
  
  • They form 8.6% of the population and have 12% representation in the police forces, placing them at a comparatively better position.
  • Only STs have better representation in police forces in comparison to their share in population while all other backward classes fare poorly.
• Dalits:
  
  • 14% of all positions in police forces across the country were represented by Dalits at the end of 2019.
  • According to Census 2011, Dalits make up 16.6% of India’s population.
• Other Backward Classes:
  
  • OBCs fare the worst on the representation front as, despite their 41% share in the population, they constitute only 25% of the police forces.
• Women:
  
  • Women are highly under-represented with 10% share in the actual strength of the police in the country, even though their share in population is 48%.
    
    • However, their situation has improved considerably over the past years as the actual strength of women in police forces has almost doubled since 2014.
  • Women population per woman police ratio stands at 3,026 nationally which is very low.
    
    • Poor representation of women in the police is posing serious challenges in dealing with crimes against women and women criminals.
• Other Ratios:
  
  • Sanctioned Population Per Police Person (PPP) is 511.81.
  • Sanctioned Police Population Ratio (PPR) is 195.39.
    
    • It is the number of police personnel per one lakh of the population which has declined from 198 in 2018.
    • The UN-mandated police-population ratio is over 220.
  • Sanctioned Police Area Ratio (PAR) per 100 sq km is 79.80.

Bureau of Police Research and Development

• The Government of India established it under the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1970.
• It replaced the Police Research and Advisory Council (1966), with the primary objective of modernization of the police force.
• In 1995, the Government decided to entrust issues relating to Correctional Administration Work to the BPR&D.
  
  • Thereby BPRD has to ensure the implementation of prison reforms as well.
• The Government of India decided to create a National Police Mission under the administrative control of BPR&D to transform the police forces in the country.
• In August 2020, it observed its 50^th foundation day.
• It has been publishing the data on police organisations since 1986.

Source: IE