Akhilesh calls for better security infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Making his debut on the national stage after becoming Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav Monday called for better security infrastructure, more recruitment to police forces and asked for extending 'mega-city policing' to Noida and Ghaziabad that adjoin the capital.

Yadav noted that the police in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas have been equipped with 'the best of weaponry and is armed with advanced technology'.

But he lamented that the benefits of mega-city policing project were yet to come to Ghaziabad and Noida, the two cities neighbouring the union capital.

'I, therefore, request the government at the centre to provide the mega-city policing equipment to the NCR parts of UP as well,' he said, speaking at the high-level chief ministers' meet on internal security, inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He underlined the need for better coordination between security agencies of the state and centre and called for more recruitment in the security set-up as 'police-population ration was very abysmal'.

Informing the gathering that Uttar Pradesh had taken concrete steps in the state to provide housing to police personnel, Yadav demanded that the union government financially help it with Rs.5,000 crore in the next five years.

He rued the fact that provisions for the state police in terms of infrastructure and basic amenities were not up to the mark.

Pointing out that the central aid of Rs.100 crore to Uttar Pradesh was paltry, keeping in mind the state budget of Rs.8,000 crore per annum, he urged the prime minister to ensure that Uttar Pradesh police be granted a central aid of Rs.800 crore for modernisation. This, he said, should be extended for the next 10 years.

Under the modernisation plan, the chief minister mooted strengthening of video conferencing facilities between prisons and district courts, disaster management and fire services.

Enumerating the internal security threats to a state like Uttar Pradesh, which housed many a communally sensitive district and shared a 550-km border with Nepal, Yadav called for integrated checkposts at the border to check movement of subversive elements.

'The border is porous and hence it is of great concern that this border could be used for infiltration and I propose that the union government and the state government set up a combined mechanism against the terror threat as well as the serious issue of fake currency being smuggled through here,' he said.

He also underlined the need to upgrade forensic science labs. Other than raising the issue of growing cyber crimes and need to check them immediately through specialised techniques and crack teams, Yadav also called for extra security for the 2012 Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.