India has 151 police personnel per lakh of population, which is 71 less than the ratio prescribed by the United Nations, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, in a written reply, also said there was no proposal under consideration to outsource non-core functions of the police such as verification for passport, serving court summons among others to reduce the workload of police personnel.
“Police being a State subject falling in List-II of the seventh schedule of the Constitution of India, it is primarily the responsibility of state governments/UTs to take appropriate steps to enhance efficiency of the force and to increase police-to-population ratio. However, the Centre advises states/UTs from time to time,” Mr. Ahir said.
Mr. Ahir said that according to the recommendations of the United Nations, the police-to-population ratio should be 222 police personnel for one lakh citizens, whereas in India the ratio is 151, as per data compiled by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, as on January 1, 2017.
“The considerable gap in the said ratio exists due to shortage of police personnel. Vacancies in the service are caused due to factors such as retirement, resignation, death, etc. All these factors are recurring in nature and recruitment is a continuous process,” he said.
