45,000 Police Posts Vacant In Madhya Pradesh As Manpower Strength Trails Sanctioned Level | File pic
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh is among the states facing a shortage of police personnel, with an actual strength of 121.76 personnel per 1 lakh population against the sanctioned 147.23.
Officials said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), during a recent meeting with state officials, asked states to fill vacant police posts.
Around 45,000 police posts have fallen vacant in the state. Nationally, the actual police-to-population ratio stands at 152.80 personnel per lakh against a sanctioned strength of 196.23.
PHQ officials said that, according to a Government of India reply based on a Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) report, the sanctioned police-population ratio stood at 196.23 per lakh as on Jan 1, 2022.
Nagaland had the highest ratio, with 1,189.33 police personnel per lakh population against a sanctioned strength of 1,212.39.
According to the data, Bihar had the lowest actual police-to-public ratio at 75.16 personnel per lakh population. It was followed by West Bengal at 97.66 and Rajasthan at 120.39, while Madhya Pradesh had an actual ratio of 121.76 against the sanctioned 147.23.
An official said recruitment of police personnel is a state subject, while the Centre periodically issues advisories to states to bring reforms in police administration.
The official added that recruitment is a continuous process and vacancies arise due to retirement, resignation, death, removal from service and other reasons.
Since police recruitment and staffing are handled by individual states, there are wide regional disparities in police strength across the country.
2011 Census data and current population
As per the 2011 Census, when the population of the state was 7.60 crore, the vacant posts in the police department were around 18,000 as per the population ratio.
But the population has increased and officials claim that around 45,000 posts of police personnel are vacant in the state.
State-wise actual police per lakh population
Highest ratios (best staffed):
Nagaland: 1,189.33 per lakh (highest in the country)
Tamil Nadu: 154.25 per lakh (actual) / 171.95 (sanctioned)
Maharashtra: 136.45 per lakh (actual) / 186.36 (sanctioned)
Uttar Pradesh: 133.86 per lakh (actual) / 181.75 (sanctioned)
Gujarat: 127.82 per lakh (actual) / 174.39 (sanctioned)
Lowest ratios (most short-staffed):
Bihar: 75.16 per lakh (actual) / 115.08 (sanctioned)
West Bengal: 97.66 per lakh (actual) / 160.76 (sanctioned)
Rajasthan: 120.39 per lakh (actual) / 139.81 (sanctioned)
Madhya Pradesh: 121.76 per lakh (actual) / 147.23 (sanctioned)
