Home dept clears over ₹650-cr budget for upgrade of UP police

Social media monitoring cells, forensic science labs for special wings of the police to be set up; state-of-the-art gadgets to be purchased

LUCKNOW The state home department on Friday cleared a budget of over ₹650 crore for the modernisation of the police force, which includes purchase of state-of-the-art gadgets, setting up of high-tech social media monitoring cells and forensic science laboratories for special wings of police. Work on it will be initiated soon, said officials.

Special quick response teams (QRT) for the purpose of law and order control will be constituted in 10 districts. (Pic for representation)

A senior police official confirmed that the home department gave the nod for setting up high-tech social media monitoring cell at ₹641 crore to curb fake news. Clearance was also given for purchase of 1,200 body-worn cameras worth ₹4.8 crore, 1,650 full body protectors worth ₹2.48 crore for women police personnel as well as 30,000 post-mortem kits worth ₹6 crore.

Similarly, special quick response teams (QRT) for the purpose of law and order control will be constituted in 10 districts. Dedicated forensic science laboratories (FSL) for state police wings like Special Investigation Team (SIT), Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Criminal Bureau and Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) would also be set up, the official said.

He said the use of crime scene videography applications developed by the State Crime Record Bureau will also be initiated in three districts including Muzaffarnagar, Barabanki and Aligarh in the first phase and will be used in all districts after its successful trial. The plan to use this technique has already been prepared by officials.