Govt to keep weekly tab on crime-tracking project

The Home Ministry has put its ambitious Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project on weekly monitoring roster following its slow progress. The government has also deputed senior officers to regularly visit states to monitor its performance.

The Home Ministry has put its ambitious Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project on weekly monitoring roster following its slow progress. The government has also deputed senior officers to regularly visit states to monitor its performance.

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After a thorough review, Union home secretary RK Singh on November 7 has directed that the home ministry and national crime records bureau officials must visit all states and union territories to supervise the progress being made in the Rs. 2,000 crore project which is running three years behind schedule.

So far, Rs. 418.87 crore has been released by the government to all states and UTs. "Rs. 146.81 crore has been utilised by the states and UTs. Overall fund utilisation percentage is 35%," a note prepared by the home ministry on November 7 says.

The home secretary has directed that a weekly progress report be prepared. The ministry has appointed 20 joint secretaries, Registrar General of Census Operation C Chandramouli and another officer as nodal officers for different states and UTs to closely monitoring the progress of CCTNS project for its timely completion by new target of March 2015.

The CCTNS aims at creating integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing through adopting of principle of e-governance and creation of a countrywide infrastructure for evolution of IT-enabled tracking system for 'investigation of crime and detection of criminals'.