Setting up a federal agency is at best a first step. Whichever way we look at it, improving the police infrastructure in the states is a must. Given the tricky political battles involved, the best solution is to imitate the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Urban reform and development is slowly getting attention from the states simply because that’s the only way they can access JNNURM funds. Rather than mandate changes, the federal agency should generously fund those states that reform their police systems and upgrade their technology. Such funding should definitely be considered “plan” expenditure and should not be tied to the states raising incremental resources (which they never will). This will have the added advantage of the emergence of an eco-system where the state police will automatically cooperate with the federal agency rather than fight it.

Lastly, we need to use the opportunity created by the present crisis to improve the morale of our IPS officers. They have legitimate grievances that they do not have promotion prospects similar to their IAS counterparts. It is said that even the most unworthy Applebys in the IAS get to the rank of secretary by retirement date, ensuring good compensation and a good pension. The IPS concerns are not that different from those of the officers of the armed forces. For a very small real cost to the fisc (and indeed trivial in comparison to the national savings that will result from reduced terrorist activity) these issues can be addressed. For once let’s act generously with our fellow citizens in uniform and not take recourse to setting up one more committee.

... contd.