GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Home Affairs 

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 313
ANSWERED ON THE JULY 9, 2014 / ASHADHA 18, 1936 (SAKA)

 QUESTION
Low Police Per Capita in India

 313. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

 Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: 

(a)   whether it is a fact that the police per capita in India is extremely low as compared to the global average;

 (b)   if so, the State-wise details thereof; and

 (c)    the steps proposed to be taken by Government to increase the number of police personnel, especially given the increasing crime incidents in the country?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) & (b): As per data compiled by the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) as on 1.1.2013, the sanctioned and actual strength of police personnel at all India level per one lakh population (police-population ratio) in India is 181.47 and 136.42 respectively. The State-wise details of police-population ratio in India as on 1.1.2013 is at Annexure.

No information as to the police and population ratio of other countries is being compiled by BPR&D. However, as per report prepared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on 'International Statistics on Crime and Justice' available on the website of the United Nations,  released in 2010, several countries such as Canada (191.4), Italy (549.9), Japan (199.8), New Zealand (187.0), Spain (313.0), USA (223.6), have higher police-population ratio than India during the year 2006.

(c): As 'Police' and 'Law and Order' are State subjects, falling in Entry 1 and 2 of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, it is the responsibility of the State Governments to ensure adequate provision of police personnel. The State Governments have been advised from time to time by the Ministry of Home Affairs to fill up the vacancies in the State Police Forces. Besides, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been through a Scheme for Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF Scheme) providing assistance to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in modernizing their police infrastructure and enhance their operational capability, especially for tackling the emerging challenges to ·internal security.

Page 1 of 1 of ANNEXURE

State-wise Police Population Ratio as on 1.1.2013 *
(Sanctioned and Actual)