In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast, he said a notion existed earlier that services like Army and police were meant for men but it was no longer so and cited a Bureau of Police Research and Development figure to say that number of women personnel rose to over 2.15 lakh against 1.05 lakh in 2014.

Their numbers in the last seven years have almost doubled in the central armed police forces as well, he said. Women are now undergoing what is considered a very difficult training as “specialised jungle warfare commandos” to become part of CoBRA battalion, an elite CRPF unit to target violent extremist and insurgent groups, and are also visible as security personnel at Metro stations, airports and government offices, Modi pointed out.

“It has a most positive impact on our police force and the morale of our society. The presence of women personnel brings a natural confidence among people,” he mentioned.