New Delhi: Veteran Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Prakash Singh, who served as DG BSF and DGP of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, has said that India is at the threshold of emerging as a global power and no country can become global power with feudal police.
“India is facing formidable challenges including internal security and the police are equipped with the latest arms and technology to tackle it. Police has to be modernized, progressive, reformed, rejuvenated and the present generation is smarter in taking India forward,” he added.
Singh, who was speaking at the recently held ‘FICCI SMART Policing Awards’ and ‘Making India the Drone Hub of the World’ here, stated that the police job in India is getting tougher and tougher with every passing year because of the increasing number of internal security challenges which needs to be addressed at the highest level.
“Police need systemic changes, which no one has been able to produce. We need to have a smart police which is sensitive, accountable, responsible and techno-savvy. Changes are taking place in matters like infrastructure, improving communications, increasing manpower, improving transport, more forensic labs,” he added.
In an effort to improve policing in the country, Singh emphasized the role of the corporate sector and urged industry to come forward to contribute to this sector.
“Industry has a stake in good policing in states and plays an important role in police reforms. If police are competent, efficient and respond to a situation promptly, you (Industry) will have a peaceful ambience. In a good law and order situation, it is the industry which will prosper,” he stated.
Sanjay Jaju, Additional Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, said that in the next 10 years, the overall paradigm of mobility and surveillance will go through complete transformation with the advancements in the drone sector. “With a slew of policy interventions and reforms announced by the government, it is the golden age for drones and makes India a global drone hub,” he said.
GK Pillai, Advisor, FICCI Committee on Homeland Security and former Union Home Secretary, said that crime is not going to go away, and the basic job of police is to provide a sense of security to the citizens. Today, inequality is rising, and crime is going to go up and cyber-crime is going to grow exponentially in years to come. A society will collapse if basic law and order is not provided and this is a major task for the police, he added.
