Ukhrul, February 08 2009: A total of 7086 posts in the state police department will be filled up to strengthen the department as Manipur government has decided to implement its two draft action plans- one for the reduction of extortion and the other for reduction of violence which it consider a menace of militancy. After filling up the proposed posts, which the government targeting to complete during this current fiscal year 2008-09, the total employee strength of the Manipur police will rise to 20,321. Government will also entail an additional liability of Rs 79.36 crores per annum in providing salaries in filling up the 7086 posts and will spend Rs 269.54 crores annually, official said Sunday. The latest move will hike the police-population ratio further.

The ratio (Policemen per 100,000 populations) of Manipur is 627 which is much higher than Nagaland (475), Assam (176) and the Indian average of 125.Manipur's Policemen per 100 square kilometer area ratio of 73.2, is far in excess than Assam (66.4), Nagaland (62.2) and the national average of 45. Manipur government feels the need for strengthening the police department as it had decided to implement two plans, reduction of extortion and reduction of violence which have been endorsed by the Cabinet of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) in the state which it consider a menace of the militancy.

The clearance of the Union ministry of home affairs has also got, official said. As per the government analysis report militant/insurgent outfits operating in the state have become a menace to the society.

Police department in its latest report put the total number of militant/insurgent outfits operating in the state at 32 which are mainly organized on ethnic lines. �Though some of the outfits (militant/insurgent) started with some ideology, today, almost all of them have no ideology,� the government report.

The same report was also placed before the 13th finance commission visited the state recently in the middle week of January. The militant/insurgent outfits have become a menace to the society, the govt analysis stated elaborating that they are indulging in anti-social, criminal activities like kidnapping for ransom, extortion, drug trafficking, intimidation etc. The long porous international border of 367.50 km with Myanmar, militancy in the neighbouring states, ethnic tensions, limited employment opportunity etc.

are the main factors confronting by the state in dealing with the militancy, it said.

Insurgency not only imposes considerable strain on the precarious finance of the state in terms of the cost of maintaining the police force, but it also has a long term impact on growth and development.

The adverse law and order situation in the state has reduced private investment to a trickle in the last few decades, with much of the capital flowing out of the state, the latest government report on the law and order and its impacts also added. For implementing the action plans, reduction of extortion and violence, strengthening of police station, reorganization of the state special branch, setting up of special investigation teams to deal exclusively with the important cases relating to militants, strengthening of state forensic science laboratory, providing security to important government officials/offices, security coverage for important project areas, security coverage of the national highways etc.

Apart from this, state government has also taken up measures to make police in the state more transparent, people friendly and effective, more interaction with the public through youth clubs and women organisaitons, community policing etc., the source said.

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