Integrating different software and platforms and to digitise records of those States which had not digitised their police records, a mission mode project called Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), under e-Governance system by Government of India was conceived in the year 2008 following the Mumbai terror attack . The system envisaged on-line tracking system by integrating more than 14000 police stations across the country. It is another thing that the system conceived in 2008 , approved in 2009 with a fund base of Rs.2000 crore, was launched partially and on pilot base only in 2013 , however, now, covers 15000 police stations and offices of 5000 supervisory police officers. However, this all has not picked up the initiative to declare ”go-live” the system in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh as well. Since the scheme is funded by the Central Government, almost 90 per cent of the sanctioned funds have already been utilized in respect of erecting some infrastructure for the CCTNS. It is despite the fact that both the border UTs being sensitive in nature need such a system in respect of investigation of crime as well as detection of criminals in a fast, accurate and scientific manner.
We do not write off the efforts made by the successive Governments as the implementation started several years back but as at the end of the month of February 2021 only 81 per cent of the job has been done and the yawning gap between CCTNs generated FIRs submitted to courts and searches and queries of CCTNs is too much. Though the utilization of funds almost is nearing full, these funds having been allotted for procurement and installation of the hard and soft-ware as also capacity building training , yet the project remains in a State of limbo . Why both the UTs have not declared the system as functional or go live is beyond comprehension . National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its recent report has highlighted the unsatisfactory performance vis-a-vis the implementation of CCTN generated reports in both the UTs especially entries of arrested , missing persons ‘ photographs etc. It is a sad reflection on where both the UTs stand in respect of using the project towards prevention and investigation of crime cases accurately and quickly , as both of these are among only four States/ UTs in the country which have not declared the promising system ‘go -live’ till date. West Bengal and Bihar are the other two States and the two UTs are only the ones under reference.
How much seriousness accorded to such a system which besides digitising sensitive records and training of police personnel was also laced with setting up of citizen portal to provide services to citizens , can be gauged by the fact that the Apex Committee meant to monitor and assess implementation process and to suggest remedial measures has failed to meet at required regular intervals . Did any meeting at all take place since the last one in the month of May 2017 , well- there is no record of that. However, The Empowered Committee meeting was convened in January this year which was presided over by the DGP to review the implementation of CCTNS wherein district SSPs were impressed upon to motivate and encourage the field officers to update the system and ensure optimum use of CCTNS for the identified purposes. Let us see the actual results of the outcome of the meeting on the ground.
Needless to add , as we are frequently highlighting that the use of IT driven projects, workings and schemes have got to be accepted and implemented for better results and in particular, improving the delivery of citizen centric services , the same cannot be ignored, deferred or made use of selectively and occasionally in Jammu and Kashmir. We are heading towards paperless working system and integrated e- governance which the sooner adopted the better it would be for optimum , quick, foolproof and accurate results. When it is the question of effective policing , better information sharing between police stations and smoothening the investigation process , there is hardly any scope to feel casual about it in implementation process.
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