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Day 33

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 Geography www.iasscore.in

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
What is a disaster?
A disaster is a physical event, phenomenon or human activity that leads to sudden disruption of normal life,
causing severe damage to life and property to an extent that available social and economic protection mechanisms
are inadequate to cope. Its origin can be natural or man-made.
Disasters could be, natural (geological, hydro-meteorological and biological) or induced by human processes
(environmental degradation and technological hazards).
Disasters proceed by cause-effect due to endogenous (inherent) and exogenous (external) factors, which combine
to excite the phenomenon into a large-scale destructive event.

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Disaster is disturbance of equilibrium which can be restored/ remedied by proactive Policy in this regard.

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Hence, traditional perception of disasters as natural phenomena outside the realm of human intervention is not
true. Disaster Management is an attempt to inquire into the process of a potential damage (hazard) turning to
disaster, to identify the causes and rectify the same through public policy.
Classification of disasters
Disasters are classified into natural and man-made disasters.
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Natural Disasters Man Made Disasters
A. Water and Climate A. Chemical, industrial and nuclear
Floods Chemical and Industrial disasters
Cyclones Nuclear
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Tornadoes and hurricanes (cyclones)

Hailstorms B. Accidental
Cloudburst Forest fires
Heat wave and cold wave Urban fires
Snow avalanches Mine flooding
Droughts Oil spill
Sea erosion Major building collapse
Thunder/ lightning Serial bomb blasts
B. Geological Festival related disasters
Landslides and mudflows Electrical disasters and fires
Earthquakes Air, road, and rail accidents
Large fires Boat capsizing
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Dam failures and dam bursts

Mine fires
C. Biological
Epidemics
Pest attacks
Cattle epidemics
Food poisoning
Nodal Ministries
Depending on the type of disaster, a nodal ministry has been assigned the task of coordinating all activities
of the state and district administration and the other support departments/ministry. The following table below
vividly gives the information:

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Type of Disaster/Crisis Nodal Ministry
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Nuclear Accident Department of Atomic Energy
Chemical Disasters Ministry of Environment
Biological Disaster Ministry of Health
Urban Flooding Ministry of Urban Development
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Air Accidents Ministry of Civil Aviation

Road Accidents Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Railway Accidents Ministry of Railways
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Civil War Ministry of Home Affairs

Natural disasters in India
Indias Key Disaster Vulnerabilities are as follows:
Coastal States, particularly on the East Coast and Gujarat are vulnerable to cyclones.
4 crore hectare landmass is vulnerable to floods
68 per cent of net sown area is vulnerable to droughts
55 per cent of total area is in seismic zones III-V, hence vulnerable to earthquakes
Sub-Himalayan sector and Western Ghats are vulnerable to landslides.
The succeeding text analyses in brief vulnerabilities to specific natural hazards in India:
A. Floods
Seventy five per cent of rainfall is concentrated over four months of monsoon (June - September) as a result
of which almost all the rivers carry heavy discharge during this period. The problems of sediment deposition,
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drainage congestion and synchronisation of river floods compound the flood hazard with sea tides in the coastal
plains. Ex. Brahmaputra and the Gangetic Basin are the most flood-prone areas. The other flood-prone areas
are the northwest region of the west flowing rivers like Narmada and Tapti, Central India and the Deccan
region with major east flowing rivers like Mahanadi, Krishna and Cauvery. While the area liable to floods is
40 million hectares, the average area affected by floods annually is about 8 million hectares.

B. Droughts

India has largely monsoon dependant irrigation network. An erratic pattern, both low (less than 750 mm) and
medium (750 - 1125 mm) makes 68 per cent of the total area vulnerable to periodic droughts. A 100-year
analysis reveals that the frequency of occurrence of below normal rainfall in arid, semi-arid, and sub-humid
areas is 54-57 per cent. Severe and rare droughts occur in arid and semi-arid zones every 8-9 years. The semi-
arid and arid climatic zones are subject to about 50 per cent of severe droughts that cover generally 76 percent
of the area. In this region, rare droughts of most severe intensity occurred on an average once in 32 years and
almost every third year was a drought year.

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C. Cyclones

2.
Pre-monsoon (May-June)

Post-monsoon (October-November).
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India has a long coastline. There are two distinct cyclone seasons:

1.

The impact of these cyclones is confined to the coastal districts, the maximum destruction being within 100
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Km. from the centre of the cyclones and on either side of the storm track. Most casualties are caused by
coastal inundation by tidal waves, storm surges and torrential rains.

D. Earthquakes

The Himalayan mountain ranges are considered to be the worlds youngest fold mountain ranges. The subterranean
Himalayas are geologically very active. In a span of 53 years, four earthquakes exceeding magnitude 8 on the
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Richter scale have occurred in this region. The peninsular part of India comprises stable continental crust.
Although these regions were considered seismically least active, an earthquake that occurred in Latur in
Maharashtra on September 30, 1993 of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale caused substantial loss of life and
damage to infrastructure.

E. Landslides and Avalanches

The Himalayan, the northeast hill ranges and the Western Ghats experience considerable landslide activity of
varying intensities. River erosions, seismic movements and heavy rainfalls cause considerable activity. Heavy
monsoon rainfall often in association with cyclonic disturbances results in considerable landslide activity on the
slopes of the Western Ghats.

Avalanches constitute a major hazard in the higher reaches of the Himalayas. Parts of the Himalayas receive
snowfall round the year and adventure sports are in abundance in such locations. Severe snow avalanches occur
in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the Hills of Western Uttar Pradesh. The population of about
20,000 in Nubra and Shyok valleys and mountaineers and trekkers face avalanche hazard on account of steep
fall.
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OR
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Man-made disasters in India

A. Nuclear and radiological disasters
Any radiation incident resulting in exposure or contamination of the workers or the public in excess of the
respective permissible limits can lead to a nuclear/radiological emergency. As the world is competing in nuclear
race, nuclear and radiological emergencies are of relevance and concern to us.
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But nuclear emergencies can still arise due to factors beyond the control of the operating agencies e.g. human
error, system failure, sabotage, earthquake, cyclone, flood, etc. Such failures, may lead to an on-site or off-site
emergency.
To combat this, proper emergency preparedness plans must be in place so that there is avoidable loss of life,
livelihood, property and impact on the environment.
Nuclear emergencies being man-made in nature, maximum emphasis has been laid on the prevention without
diluting other aspects. However, in the event of any emergency, these guidelines recommend a series of actions
which are:
Mitigate the accident at source
Prevent deterministic health effects in individuals and limit the probability of stochastic effects in the
population
Provide first aid and treatment of injuries
Reduce the psychological impact on the population
Protect the environment and property, all under the constraint of available resources.
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B. Chemical disasters
The growth of chemical industries has led to an increase in the risk of occurrence of incidents associated with
hazardous chemicals (HAZCHEM).
Chemical accidents result in fire, explosion and toxic release. The nature of chemical agents and their concentration
during exposure ultimately decides the toxicity and damaging effects on living organisms in the form of
symptoms and signs like irreversible pain, suffering, and death. Meteorological conditions such as wind speed,
wind direction, height of inversion layer, stability class, etc., also play an important role by affecting the
dispersion pattern of toxic gas clouds further.
The dangerous gas and hazardous substances release during the chemical disasters affect life forms across the
boundaries of neighbouring states and countries.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984- is the worst chemical disaster in history, where over 2000 people died due to
the accidental release of the toxic gas Methyl Isocyanate, is still fresh in our memories. Such accidents are
significant in terms of injuries, pain, suffering, loss of lives, damage to property and environment. Chemical

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disasters, though low in frequency, have the potential to cause significant immediate or long-term damage.
C. Biological disasters

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Biological disasters are caused by epidemics, accidental release of virulent microorganism(s) or bioterrorism
(BT) with the use of biological agents such as anthrax, smallpox, etc.
The existence of infectious diseases has been known in human civilisations since the dawn of history. The
development of bacteriology and epidemiology later, established the chain of infection. Along with nuclear and
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chemical agents, who are derived from technology, biological agents have been accepted as agents of mass
destruction capable of generating comparable disasters.
Along with the growth of societies, crop and animal diseases acquired more and more importance. Epidemics
can result in heavy mortalities in the short term leading to a depletion of population with a corresponding drop
in economic activity.
D. Toxic wastes
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Human beings change their environment to suit their biological and social needs and in this transaction they
utilize the resources and produce harmful by-products. These by- products are termed as Toxic wastes and may
be in the form of gases, liquids or solids.
Direct or indirect exposure to toxic wastes has numerous adverse effects on humans from cancer to birth
defects. The old pollutants like lead, mercury, industrial solvents and pesticide residues, are of great concern.
These wastes are derived mainly from chemical industries, energy production industries, pulp and paper producing
factories, mining industries and leather tanning processes. Though all wastes are disposed off into the environment,
some wastes are treated before disposal and others are disposed directly from the source.
Wastes produced from the combustion of fuel by motor vehicles are emitted directly into the atmosphere, and
sewage wastes are disposed into rivers and oceans. Since air, rivers and oceans are global commons, this
common ownership has facilitated unregulated disposal of wastes.
E. Urban flooding
Flooding in Urban areas is significantly different from rural flooding. Rapid urbanization leads to developed
catchments which increases the flood volumes by up to 6 times. Consequently, flooding occurs very quickly
due to faster flow times, sometimes in a matter of minutes.
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Urban areas are centres of economic activities with vital infrastructure which needs to be protected. They are
also densely populated and people living in vulnerable areas, both rich and poor, suffer due to flooding. It has
sometimes resulted in loss of life, damage to property and disruptions in transport and power, bringing life to
a halt.
Even the secondary effects of possible epidemics and exposure to infection takes further toll in terms of loss
of livelihood, human suffering, and, in extreme cases, loss of life. Therefore, management of urban flooding
has to be accorded top priority.
F. Road accidents
A road accident, also known as a motor vehicle collision (MVC), occurs when a vehicle collides with another
vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction. Road accidents may prove fatal and
may result in injury, death and damage of property.
Of the worldwide annual average of 700,000 road accidents, 10 per cent occur in India.
In India, the situation with regard to road accidents is particularly acute. First official data of accidents in 2002,

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recording 80,118 deaths and 342,200 injuries on Indian roads but conceded at the same time that many cases
went unreported and that 1,200,000 required hospitalisation.
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Financial losses are staggering. A decades worth of saving the Rs 50,000 million estimated loss in traffic
accidents every year could finance building 7,000 km long, six lane national highway at todays rates. The
figures are always on the increase, which corresponds to the tremendous increase in the production and sale
of motor vehicles.
G. Wars and population displacement
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War is a state of armed conflict between societies or countries. It is generally characterized by extreme
aggression, destruction, and mortality, using regular or irregular military forces. An absence of war is usually
called peace.
War is no more confined to war zones. In recent times there have been more civilian deaths than military
deaths and thousands of people are being displaced as refugees. A high percentage of those dying or affected
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in these conflicts are children. Air power and wide ranging nature of modern war put entire population at risk,
disrupting food production, imperilling fragile ecosystems and forcing entire populations to flee from their
natural habitats.
During the past five decades civil wars representing power conflicts within nations have increased sharply. The
relationship between people and their environment can be changed significantly during wartime. Certain resources
are used more rapidly to fuel the war effort. Long lasting adverse environmental effects are attributed to areas
where biological weapons are developed and tested.
H. Global warming
Global warming and climate change are terms used for the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature
of the Earths climate system and its related effects on global climate. Multiple scientific evidences shows that
the global climate system is warming
Human activities are tremendously contributing to environmental problems like global warming and ozone
layer depletion. Both these problems have the making of a disaster. An increase in global temperatures is likely
to affect many atmospheric parameters like precipitation and wind velocity resulting in an incidence of
extreme weather conditions.
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Indiscriminate burning of fossil fuels, emissions of pollutants from motor vehicles, emission of poisonous gases
from chemical industries contributes to global warming. The effect is accelerated more by industrial and
developed nations and the effect will be acutely felt by all the nations for no fault of theirs.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) acknowledged that human activities
have been substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and is determined to
protect the climate system for the present and the future generations. The signatories agreed to promote and
cooperate in education training and public awareness on various aspects related to climate change and encourage
widest participation in this process including that of nongovernmental organisations.
Disaster Management Institutions in India
In the Central Government there are existing institutions and mechanisms for disaster management while new
dedicated institutions have been created under the Disaster Management Act of 2005. Thus, the two structures
co-exist at present.
The National Disaster Management Authority has been established at the centre, and the SDMA at state and

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district authorities at district level are gradually being formalized. In addition to this, the National Crisis
Management Committee, part of the earlier setup, also functions at the Centre. The nodal ministries, as
identified for different disaster types of function under the overall guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs

disaster management framework.

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(nodal ministry for disaster management). This makes the stakeholders interact at different levels within the

Two distinct features of the institutional structure for disaster management may be noticed. Firstly, the
structure is hierarchical and functions at four levels - centre, state, district and local. In both the setups - one
that existed prior to the implementation of the Act, and other that is being formalized post-implementation
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of the Act, there have existed institutionalized structures at the centre, state, district and local levels. Each
preceding level guides the activities and decision making at the next level in hierarchy. Secondly, it is a multi-
stakeholder setup, i.e., the structure draws involvement of various relevant ministries, government departments
and administrative bodies.
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 Indian Polity www.iasscore.in

CIVIL SERVICES REFORM

Civil service refers to the body of government officials who are employed in civil occupations that are neither
political nor judicial.
The importance of the Civil Service to governance stems from the following: o Service presence throughout
the country and its strong binding character
Administrative and managerial capacity of the services
Effective policy-making and regulation
Effective coordination between institutions of governance o Leadership at different levels of administration.

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Service delivery at the cutting edge level o Provide continuity and change to the administration.

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In recent times, there has been accelerated change globally brought about by technological advances, greater
decentralization and social activism. The ramifications of these changes are being felt by government in the
form of increasing expectations for better governance through effective service delivery, transparency,
accountability and rule of law. The civil service, as the primary arm of government, must keep pace with the
changing times in order to meet the aspirations of the people. The purpose of reform is to reorient the Civil
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Services into a dynamic, efficient and accountable apparatus for public service delivery built on the ethos and
values of integrity, impartiality and neutrality. The reform is to raise the quality of public services delivered
to the citizens and enhance the capacity to carry out core government functions, thereby, leading to sustainable
development.
The ailments afflicting Indian civil services are:
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Lack of professionalism and poor capacity building

Inefficient incentive systems that do not appreciate upright and outstanding civil servants but reward the
corrupt and the incompetent
Outmoded rules and procedures that restrict the civil servant from performing effectively
Systemic inconsistencies in promotion and empanelment
Lack of adequate transparency and accountability procedures - there is also no safety for whistle blowers
Arbitrary and whimsical transfers insecurity in tenures impedes institutionalization
Political interference and administrative acquiescence
A gradual erosion in values and ethics
Patrimonialism
Components of Civil Service Reform
Reforms must take into account the role of the Civil Service in the governance needs of the day and the
expectations generated from it. The main components of Civil Service Reform should pertain to the following:
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A. Right sizing government

India needs a leaner and fitter civil service system. The recommendations are:
I. Retire 25% to 50% of the officers at the age of 52 to 55, as it is done in the Army;
II. Drastically reduce the cadre as well as ex-cadre posts, especially in the supertime and above, leading to
slower promotions;
III. Encourage officers to join NGOs, educational and research institutes during mid-career. The DOPT should
play a more active placement role by maintaining a list of officers who wish to be out of the service
for a temporary period, and liaise with the desirous NGOs and other institutions;
IV. Increase the period an officer can be out of the system from 5 to 7 years, without losing his seniority;
and
V. Many posts in the government should be earmarked to permit lateral entry of people from NGO/
professional institutions at various levels to bring in a fresh outlook.
B. Stability of Tenure

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A malaise afflicting the civil service generally is the instability of tenures, leading not only to a lack of sense
of involvement but also to the inability to contribute effectively to amelioration of the system. Transfers have
OR
been used as instruments of reward and punishment, there is no transparency, and in the public mind transfer
after a short stay is categorised as a stigma. Officers who are victimised are not in a position to defend
themselves. Internally the system does not call for any reaction to explain ones conduct, while externally
public servants are debarred from going public to defend themselves.
Frequent transfers and limited tenures are playing havoc with public organisations. Thus there should be a high
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powered and statutory Civil Services Board in the States, which should process all proposals of postings and
transfers and there should be an ACC kind of procedure (followed by the Government of India whereby an
officer joins a Ministry for a fixed term of 4 - 5 years) in the States also. Once a person is posted he should
not be transferred except by following the same procedure once more.
C. Professionalism
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There is a need to restructure the systems and procedures as well as the style of functioning. The Indian civil
service should modernise itself. The professionalising of its various activities is very essential. This will bring
in speed, cut down redtape, reduce paper work, and trim down the cost of its maintenance.
An extensive training in office administration and administrative methods needs to be imparted to the officers
of the non-All-India services. The officers of the All-India administrative services and the top grade services
of the provincial governments should be encouraged to acquire computer literacy and get intensively trained
in database, etc.
Professional skills of officers may relate to three functional categories implementation, program/project
preparation and policy formulation as well as to specific themes (domain areas or specializations). Concrete
effort needs to be directed towards encouraging civil servants to cultivate professional skills through direct work
experience or through research.
D. Mobility for the Services and Lateral Entry of Professionals
In addition to the combined examination, recruitment should also be made by other methods, especially at the
level of Joint Secretary and above, e.g. lateral entry with contractual appointment and lateral entry with
permanent retention. Initial lateral entry may be by way of appointment as Officer on Special Duty with
limited tenure assignments. If the inductee performs very well, she / he could be offered a permanent position
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and five per cent vacancies could be reserved for such entrants. There should be more lateral entry, which is
at present restricted only to finance and economic department and Planning Commission. In USA, there is a
lateral entry system at the highest levels which is open for all.
E. Accountability
For greater accountability, the following are some of the measures suggested:
Strengthening and streamlining reporting mechanisms
Streamlining and fast-tracking departmental enquiries
Linking performance with incentives
Overhaul of employee grievance procedures
Action on audit findings
Implementation of Citizens Charters for monitoring service delivery

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Right to Information Act and its enforcement
Code of conduct for civil servants

OR
The implementation of above stated reforms are necessary. Civil Service Reforms should aim at strengthening
administrative capability to perform core government functions. These reforms raise the quality of services to
the citizens that are essential to the promotion of sustainable economic and social development.
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 Indian Polity www.iasscore.in

POLICE REFORMS IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION
According to Article 246 of the Indian Constitution and section 3 of the IPA, the police force is a state
subject and not dealt with at central level. Each state government has the responsibility to draw guidelines,
rules and regulations for their respectively police forces.
The Indian Police Act (IPA) of 1861 is the current basic governing instrument of the Indian police force.
It lays down the structure and functions of the police departments in the country. The IPA was drafted
by the British colonisers as a direct consequence of the first war of independence to ensure the police
systems subservience to the executive and to remain authoritarian in its contact with the public.

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The police system was designed to a strict hierarchical and military structure, based on the colonial distrust
of the lower ranks. The decision making authority lies with a few high placed police officers, while the
police constables merely followed orders. After independence, efforts were made to change the political
OR
system but the police system still remains almost intact.
THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
Superintendence over the police force in the state is exercised by the State Government. The head of the police
force in the state is the Director General of Police (DGP), who is responsible to the state government for the
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administration of the police force in the state and for advising the government on police matters.
Field Establishment
Director General Police (DGP) {In-charge of the State Police Force}

Additional Director General of Police (Addl. DGP)
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Inspector General of Police (IGP) {In-charge of a zone, which comprises few ranges}

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dy. IGP) {In-charge of a range, which comprise a group of districts}

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) {In-charge of the bigger District}

Superintendent of police (SP) {In-charge of the District}

Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl. SP)

Assistant/Deputy Superintendent of Police (ASP/Dy. SP) {In-charge of a Sub-dirision in the district}

Inspector of Police {In-charge of a Police Station}

Sub-Inspector of Police (SI) {In-charge of a smaller Police Station}

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Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI) {Staff of the Police Station}

Police Head Constable (HC) {Staff of the Police Station}

Police Constable {Staff of Police Station}
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POLICE
The Police Act of 1861 laid down the following duties for the police officers:
i. Obey and execute all orders and warrants lawfully issued by any competent authority;
ii. Collect and communicate intelligence affecting the public peace;
iii. Prevent commission of offences and public nuisances;
iv. Detect and bring offenders to justice; and
v. Apprehend all persons whom he is legally authorised to apprehend and for whose apprehension sufficient

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ground exists.
These tasks were listed originally in 1861, the duties have expanded and slightly changed since then and a more
recent list of duties would be:
1.
2.
Maintaining law and order
Riot control
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3. Crime investigation
4. Protection of State assets
5. VIP protection
6. Traffic control
ISSUES IN THE POLICE ORGANIZATION IN INDIA
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The inefficiency in the current police force can be a result of various factors and can differ from state to state.
Many police forces are overburdened and struggling with backlog investigations. To combat these problems it
is important to see the reasons behind the problem. Some of the issues discussed are:
I. Colonial Stigma
In spite of their functioning in a democratic set up for more than six decades, the Indian police have
not been able to wipe off the colonial stigma attached to them.
II. Old and Archaic Blue Books
The operational and functional Blue-Books (IPC, CrPC, Evidence Acts) and even the Indian Police
Act, are basically colonial in nature and in the contemporary policing contexts. Some of the provisions
have become old, archaic and out dated.
III. Poor & inadequate PCR
Police community relations in India are normally brief, contextual and even negative in nature.
IV. Poor Image
The functional image of police in India is not satisfactory.
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V. Over Centralization
Indian Police is a functionally centralized organization and no efforts have been done to decentralize
the police functions.
VI. Over burdened organisation
There is an extra ordinary workload on an average policemen, which has adversely affected his
efficiency and performance.
VII. Problems related to general administration
Poor enforcement of laws and general failure of administration;
Large gap between aspirations of the people and opportunities with resultant deprivation and alienation;
and
Lack of coordination between various government agencies
VIII. Problems related to police

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Problems of organisation, infrastructure and environment;
Unwarranted political interference;
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Lack of empowerment of the cutting edge functionaries;
Lack of motivation at the lower levels due to poor career prospects, and hierarchical shackles;
Lack of modern technology/methods of investigation;
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Obsolete intelligence gathering techniques and infrastructures; and

Divorce of authority from accountability.
IX. Problems of organisational behaviour
Inadequate training; and
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Entrenched attitudes of arrogance, insensitivity and patronage.

X. Problems of stress due to overburdening
Multiplication of functions, with crime prevention and investigation taking a back seat;
Shortage of personnel and long working hours; and
Too large a population to handle.
XI. Problems related to ethical functioning
Corruption, collusion and extortion at different levels;
Insensitivity to human rights; and
Absence of transparent recruitment and personnel policies.
XII. Problems related to prosecution
Best talent not attracted as public prosecutors;
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Lack of coordination between the investigation and the prosecution agencies; and
Mistrust of police in admitting evidence.
XIII. Problems related to the judicial process/criminal justice administration
Large pendency of cases;
Low conviction rates;
No emphasis on ascertaining truth; and
Absence of victims perspective and rights
XIV. Long working hours
Long, undefined hours are the norm for constables across police stations in India. They are on duty
even during festivals to ensure there is no ruckus or breach of law and order. In the bargain, they
rarely get any days off.

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Even today, in most police stations, there is no system of working in shifts.
XV. Low income and few opportunities
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The lowest starting salary of constables in India ranges from Rs 5,200 to Rs 10,300, according to
2012 data from the Bureau of Police Research and Development. However, this amount is not
proportional to the hours they put in at work.
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Promotions are hard to come by and constables remain in the same position for a number of years,
with little or no increase in pay.
XVI. Lack of proper training
Constables are usually the publics first point of contact with the police, but they are not trained adequately
in dealing with complaints sensitively.
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Inadequate emphasis is given to sharpening investigation skills, even though it is a vital aspect of their
duties.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Successive governments at the Centre have taken many initiatives by constituting expert commissions and
working groups on police reform. These commissions have offered various recommendations. But there has
been no sustained implementation of their recommendations.
National Police Commission
The Government of India appointed a National Police Commission in 1977, as it felt that far reaching
changes have taken place in the country since independence but there has been no comprehensive review
at the national level of the police system after independence despite radical changes in the political, social and
economic situation in the country. It was felt that a fresh examination is necessary of the role and performance
of the police both as a law enforcement agency and as an institution to protect rights of the citizens enshrined
in the Constitution. The NPC submitted eight detailed reports between 1979 and 1981 which contained
comprehensive recommendations covering the entire gamut of police working.
In the first report, the National Police Commission recommended that the existing system of working of the
constables, who constitute more than 85% of the force, be radically changed. They should be so recruited and
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trained that they could be deployed on duties involving the exercise of discretion and judgement. The
Commission also suggested machinery for redressal of grievances within the police organization.
The second report of the Commission stressed that the basic role of the police is to function as a law
enforcement agency and render impartial service to the people. It expressed grave concern on the misuse of
police, interference by illegal or improper orders or pressure from political executives or other extraneous
sources. The Commission recommended that the power of superintendence of the state government over the
police should be limited to ensuring that the police perform their duties in accordance with the law. To ensure
this, it recommended the setting up of a statutory body called the State Security Commission in each state
and also that the chief of police should be assured of a minimum prescribed tenure.
The third report dealt with the procedural laws and the evils of suppression of crime by non-registration of
cases. It also examined the role of police in dealing with the weaker sections of society. The Commission
emphasised that the posting of officers in-charge of police stations should be the exclusive responsibility of
the district Superintendent of Police and similarly the selection and posting of Superintendents of Police should
be the exclusive responsibility of the Chief of Police.
The fourth report emphasised the imperative need of co-ordinating the functioning of the investigating staff
with the prosecuting agency and suggested reforms in procedural laws with a view to facilitating judicious

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conduct of investigations. On the subject of enforcement of social legislation, the Commission laid down the
parameters of police involvement.
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The fifth report dealt with the recruitment of constables and sub-inspectors and laid emphasis on their proper
training.
The sixth report recommended police commissionerates in large cities with a population of five hundred
thousand and above and also in places which had witnessed rapid industrialization or urbanisation. It also
recommended certain measures to improve the police handling and investigation of cases of communal riots.
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The seventh report dealt with the internal management of the police force and emphasised that this should be
entirely under the purview of the Chief of Police.
The eighth report recommended that the State Security Commission should be provided with an independent
cell to evaluate police performance in both qualitative and quantitative terms.
The Commission even drafted a model Police Bill which could be enacted. Its recommendations, however,
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received no more than a cosmetic treatment at the hands of the Government of India. The political leadership
was just not prepared to give functional autonomy to the police because it had found this wing of the
administration a convenient tool to further its partisan objectives. As for the bureaucracy, control over the
police was - and continues to be - an intoxicant they have become addicted to and are just not willing to give
that up. And so, the Act of 1861 continues to be on the statute book even after nearly 150 years a milestone
around the police neck.
Other Committees
Apart from the National Police Commission, several other bodies were constituted from time to time to go
into the question of police reforms. These were:
Gore Committee on Police Training (1971-73)
Ribeiro Committee on Police Reforms (1998)
Padmanabhaiah Committee on Police Reforms (2000)
Group of Ministers on National Security (2000-01)
Malimath Committee on Reforms of Criminal Justice System (2001-3)
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The Gore Committee was constituted to review the state of police training in the country and suggest
improvements. The Ribeiro Committee was set up by the Supreme Court while it was deliberating over the
Public Interest Litigation filed for police reforms; the Court wanted the Committee to examine if the National
Police Commissions recommendations, which formed the core of the PIL, were still relevant or that any
modifications were called for. The Padmanabhaiah Committee examined the requirements of policing in the
new millennium. The Group of Ministers examined the reports of various Committees which were set up in
the wake of Pakistans aggression in Kargil, including the one dealing with internal security, and suggested
comprehensive measures to strengthen the internal and external security apparatus. The Malimath Committee
made far-reaching recommendations to reform the criminal justice system. It was of the view that the present
Adversarial System could be improved by adapting some features of the Inquisitorial System, and recommended
that Quest for Truth should be the guiding principle of the entire criminal justice system. The Committee
suggested significant changes in the Criminal Procedure Code to expedite the disposal of cases and in the
Evidence Act to facilitate securing of convictions. Unfortunately, the recommendations of the Malimath
Committee were trashed because of the chorus of protest from the human rights lobbies.
The Supreme Court directives

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In 1996, two former Director Generals of Police asked the Supreme Court to direct central and state governments
to address the most glaring gaps and bad practice in the functioning of the police. On 22 September 2006, the

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Supreme Court of India delivered a historic judgment inPrakash Singh vs. Union of India, instructing central
and state governments to comply with a set of seven directives that laid down practical mechanisms to kick-
start police reform. The Courts directives sought to achieve functional autonomy for the police (through
security of tenure, streamlined appointment and transfer processes, and the creation of a buffer body
between the police and the government) and enhanced police accountability (both for organisational performance
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and individual misconduct.)
The Seven Directives in a Nutshell
Directive One
Constitute a State Security Commission (SSC) to: (i) Ensure that the state government does not exercise
unwarranted influence or pressure on the police (ii) Lay down broad policy guideline and (iii) Evaluate the
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performance of the state police.

Directive Two
Ensure that the DGP is appointed through merit based transparent process and secure a minimum tenure of
two years.
Directive Three
Ensure that other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in-charge of a
district and Station House Officers in-charge of a police station) are also provided a minimum tenure of two
years.
Directive Four
Separate the investigation and law and order functions of the police.
Directive Five
Set up a Police Establishment Board (PEB) to decide transfers, postings, promotions and other service related
matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and make recommendations
on postings and transfers above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
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Directive Six
Set up a Police Complaints Authority (PCA) at state level to inquire into public complaints against police
officers of and above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct, including
custodial death, grievous hurt, or rape in police custody and at district levels to inquire into public complaints
against the police personnel below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct.
Directive Seven
Set up a National Security Commission (NSC) at the union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement
of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations (CPO) with a minimum tenure of two years.
Second ARC Recommendations
Separation of investigation functions from other functions to inject the much needed specialization into
the various functions of the Police and to relieve the average Policeman from multifarious responsibilities
up to a certain extent.
The constitution of the State Police Performance and Accountability Commission which shall frame the broad
policy guidelines for efficient, effective and responsive and accountable policing, in accordance with law.

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All cities with population above one million should have Metropolitan Police Authorities. This Authority
should have powers to plan and oversee community policing, improving police-citizen interface, suggest
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ways to improve quality of policing, approve annual police plans and review the working of such plans.
Reducing Burden of Police by Outsourcing Non Core Functions.
On the issue of structural reforms within the Police, the Police Act is sought to be amended and certain new
features need to be introduced. For example the existing system of the constabulary should be substituted
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with recruitment of graduates at the level of Assistant Sub- Inspector of Police (ASI).This changeover could
be achieved over a period of time by stopping recruitment of constables and instead inducting an appropriate
number of ASIs. Recruitment of constables would, however, continue in the Armed Police. The orderly
system should be abolished with immediate effect. The procedure for recruitment of police functionaries
should be totally transparent and objective. Further, the Police-public ratio should be improved as it is touching
dismally low levels especially in some states like Bihar. Affirmative action should be taken to motivate
persons from different sections of society to join the police service. Recruitment campaigns should be
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organized to facilitate this process. All this is expected to not only empower the cutting edge functionaries
and also vest better skills in the police functionaries of that level along with improving upon the diversity
within the police force which is again an important determinant of improving Police-Public relationship.
There is also a need to institute a variety of welfare measures for the Police viz. rational working hours for all
police personnel, improved working conditions, better education facilities for their children, social security
measures during service, as well as post retirement should be taken up on priority. Major housing construction
programmes for police personnel should be taken up in a time bound manner in all states. All this is expected
to drastically improve the morale of the Police force which shall not only de-incentivise corrupt practice but
also reflect positively on the performance and sharpness of the Police on the ground.
District Police Complaints Authority (DPCA) shall be constituted in each district by the State government in
consultation with the Chairperson State Human Rights Commission, to enquire into the misconduct or
abuse of power against police officers up to the rank of deputy Superintendent of Police. The Authority
should be empowered to investigate any case itself or ask any other agency to investigate and submit a report.
In case of major breakdown of public order, the State Police Complaints Authority should take appropriate
action to fix responsibility on the police officers for lapses in acting upon intelligence or on the intelligence
officers in case there has been a failure on their part.
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There is also a concern for the gender issue in policing particularly in reference to the though, sporadic,
incidents of police excesses over women. Such misconduct is absolutely intolerable especially if it comes
from the protectors of the society-The Police. Therefore in this regard several suggestions have been
conceived viz. representation of women in police at all levels should be increased through affirmative
action so that they constitute about 33% of the police. Police at all levels as well as other functionaries
of the criminal justice system need to be sensitized on gender issues through well structured training
programmes. Further, the administration and police should play a more pro-active role in detection and
investigation of crimes against the weaker sections. Enforcement agencies should be instructed in
unambiguous terms that enforcement of the rights of the weaker sections should not be downplayed for
fear of further disturbances or retribution and adequate preparation should be made to face any such
eventuality. The administration should also focus on rehabilitation of the victims and provide all required
support including counselling by experts. Government must take concrete steps to increase awareness in
the administration and among the police in particular, regarding crimes against children and take steps not
only to tackle such crimes, but also to deal with the ensuing trauma.
Registration of Crimes in form of FIRs should be made totally citizen friendly.

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Improvement of Forensic Science Infrastructure for professionalization of Investigation is of ultimate
significance.

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The importance of strengthening the intelligence gathering machinery has been emphasized time and
again. Human intelligence should be combined with information derived from diverse sources with the
focus on increased use of technology.
The most important component of Police reforms has to be the increased attention on the training of the
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Police. Deputation to training institutions must be made more attractive in terms of facilities and allowances
so that the best talent is drawn as instructors. The Chief of Training in the state should be appointed on
the recommendation of the Police Performance and Accountability Commission. Modern methods of
training such as case study method should be used. For example the initiative of impartation of training
in jungle warfare and martial arts like Krav Maga to MP Police involved in anti-Naxal operations is
appreciable. Impact of training on the trainees however should be evaluated by independent field studies
and based on the findings the training should be redesigned.
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A special emphasis should be placed on the establishment of a Union-State and Inter-State Cooperation
and Coordination the Ministry of Home Affairs should proactively and in consultation with the states,
evolve formal institutions and protocols for effective coordination between the Union and the states and
among the states.
Confessions made before the police should be admissible. All such statements should be however video-
recorded and the tapes should be produced before the court.
Constitution of the State Police Establishment Committee consisting of career civil servants at two levels,
one to deal with all matters of postings and transfers, promotions and also grievances relating to establishment
matters for all officers of the rank of IGP and the other committee to deal with similar matters of all
gazetted officers up to the rank of DGP.
The issue of Organized Crime has to be brought to the fore and dealt with firmly. The first step in this
regard could be to bring specific provisions to define organized crimes to be included in the new law
governing Federal Crimes.
All these measures are aimed at making future policing citizen-centric and autonomous, working under the
frame work of law and reflecting the will of the society, and if implemented in consonance with each other
is sure to go a long way in making the Police of the future, the way it needs to be.
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NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION POLICY

Recently government has released the National Civil Aviation Policy. The policy aims to take flying to the
masses by making it affordable and convenient, establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant
growth of the civil aviation sector to promote tourism, employment and balanced regional growth, enhance
regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development and enhance ease of doing business
through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance.
Vision: To create an eco-system to make flying affordable for the masses and to enable 30 crore domestic
ticketing by 2022 and 50 crore by 2027, and international ticketing to increase to 20 crore by 2027. Similarly,
cargo volumes should increase to 10 million tonnes by 2027.

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Key Features of the Policy are:

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Scrapping of the decade-old 5/20 rule and replacing it with 0/20 norm:Earlier, a domestic airline could
start international operations only after five years of domestic operations and having a fleet of at least 20
aircraft. As per new rules, they will be required to deploy 20 aircraft or 20% of the total fleet size,
whichever is higher on domestic routes to get international flying rights.
Regional Connectivity Scheme:Airlines will no longer be able to charge more than Rs. 2500 for a 1-hour
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flight connecting two small cities. The government will provide financial support to fund airlines losses
on such un-served routes. A 2% levy has been proposed on all domestic and international flights on metro
routes to boost regional connectivity. 50 No frills Airports, also called low cost airports, will be revived
in the next three years. Airlines operating from these airports will get concessions on landing, parking
charges and other expenses.
Private Security Agencies:Private security agencies comprising of retired personnel from military and
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para-military forces will be encouraged for non-core security functions at the airports.
Code sharing agreements:Indian carriers will now be able to enter into such agreements with foreign
carriers for any destination within India on a reciprocal basis.
Open Sky Policy:India will have this policy for countries beyond the 5000 km radius from Delhi on a
reciprocal basis. This means that airlines from European or SAARC countries, will have unlimited access,
in terms of number of flights and seats, to Indian airports, leading to increased flight frequencies with these
countries.
Growth of helicopters:This will be supported to provide connectivity to remote and inaccessible areas.
Separate regulations for helicopters will be notified by DGCA.
DGCA:Necessary administrative and financial flexibility will be provided to Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA) for an effective aviation safety oversight system and for creating a transparent single-
window system for all aviation safety related issues.
Organisations attached to civil Aviation in India
Directorate General of Civil Aviation:It is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/
within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards.
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Bureau of Civil Aviation Security:The main responsibilities of BCAS include laying down standards and
measures with respect to security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India.
Air India:It is owned by Air India Limited, a Government of India enterprise and operates a fleet of
Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving 84 domestic and international destinations.
Airports Authority of India:It aims at accelerating the integrated development, expansion, and
modernization of the operational, terminal and cargo facilities at the airports in the country conforming
to international standards.
Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. :Its objective is to provide helicopter support services to the Oil Sector
for its off-shore exploration operations, services in remote and hilly areas as well as charter services for
promotion of travel and tourism.

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NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY, 2014

The government has launched the National Youth Policy (NYP 2014) to cater the needs of youth in India. It
is a comprehensive policy document that states the vision of the Government of India (GOI) for the youth
of the country and also how this vision is sought to be realised by the government.
NYP-2014 caters to needs of the youth in the age-group of 15-29 years, which constitutes 27.5 per cent of
population. The target groups identified are (i) Student Youth (ii) Migrant Youth (iii) Rural Youth (iv) Tribal
Youth (v) Youth At Risk (vi) Youth in violent conflicts (vii) out of school/dropouts (viii) groups with social
/moral stigma (ix) Youth in Institutional Care. Young women, Youth belonging to socially and economically
disadvantaged communities /groups, and differently abled youth form the three priority groups among the

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target age group.
NYP 2014 identifies the vision and the five key objectives for youth development that are further sub-divided

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into 11 priority areas. It further suggests policy imperatives that should be implemented in each of these
identified priority areas. The concerns of target groups and the priority groups therein, shall be addressed
through a subsequent action plan based on policy interventions.
NYP 2014 seeks to achieve a productive workforce through education, skill development for better employability
and entrepreneurship training; a healthy generation with sports as a way of life; a sense of community service
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and strong social values; high levels of participation in governance; and social inclusiveness by creating
equitable opportunities for all. The thrust areas are promotion of National values, social harmony, national
unity, and empowering youth through employable skills, education, health, sports and recreation, gender justice,
participation in community service, environment and local governance.
The NYP 2014 will be implemented in four steps
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GOI will formulate an action plan within 6 months for the implementation of the policy across all the
concerned ministries and department;
The MYAS also constituted a Youth Council consisting of exceptional youth from across the country to
oversee the implementation of the policy;
A set of short-term and long-term indicators for measuring the success of the policy; and
The youth are encouraged to engage their elected representatives and the government if there is any
shortcomings in the implementation of youth oriented schemes as outlined in the NYP.
Youth Development Index will include the indices viz. Youth Health Index, Youth Education Index, Youth
Work Index, Youth Amenities Index, and Youth Participation Index.
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SCHEMES FOR OVERSEAS INDIANS

1. Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)
The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) provides contingency expenditure incurred by the Indian
Missions forcarrying out welfare activities for Overseas Indian Citizens who are in distress.The ICWF scheme
has the following objectives:
Boarding and lodging for distressed Overseas Indian workers in Household / domestic sectors and unskilled
labourers;
Extending emergency medical care to the Overseas Indians in need;
Providing air passage to stranded Overseas Indians in need;

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Providing initial legal assistance to the Overseas Indians in deserving cases;
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Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the
deceased Overseas Indians in such cases where the sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the
contract and the family is unable to meet the cost;
Providing the payment of penalties in respect of Indian nationals for illegal stay in the host country where
prima facie the worker is not at fault;
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Providing the payment of small fines/penalties for the release of Indian nationals in jail/detention centre;
Providing support to local Overseas Indian Associations to establish Overseas Indian Community Centres
in countries that have population ofOverseas Indians exceeding 1,00,000; and
Providing support to start and run Overseas Indian Community-based student welfare centres in Countries
that have more than 20,000 Indian students presence.
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2. KnowIndiaProgramme(KIP)
Know India Programme (KIP) of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) is a three-week orientation
programme for Diaspora youths (between the age of 18-26 years) of Indian origin conducted in partnership
with one State Government with a view to introduce India to them and promote awareness on different facets
of Indian life and the progress made by the country in various fields e.g. economic, industrial, education,
science & technology, communication & information technology and culture.
This programme provides a unique forum for students and young professional of Indian origin to visitIndia,
share their views and to bond closely with contemporaryIndia. After end of KIP, Indian Diaspora Youths
become Youth Ambassadors of art, culture, heritage and positive image ofIndia.
3. StudyIndiaProgramme (SIP)
First Study India Programme (SIP) was launched for the first time from 25.09.2012 to 23.10.2012 in Symbiosis
University, Pune, Maharashtra with participation of 9 youths of Indian origin from four countries like Trinidad
& Tobago, Malaysia, Fiji and South Africa. Like KIP, SIP has immense potential of connecting youth Indian
Diaspora withIndiathrough the channel of educational institutions. SIP will be held twice a year for a period
of 4 weeks involving maximum 40diasporayouths in the age-group of 18-26 years.
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It will enableoverseas Indian youth to undergo short term course in anIndianUniversityto familiarize them
with the history, heritage, art, culture,socio-political, economic developments etc. ofIndia.
The focus of the programme is on academic orientation and research. Cost of boarding, lodging, local
transportation & course fee during the programme to be borne by GOI. 50% of the cost of air-ticket by
economy class would be borne by GOI. Gratis Visas by Indian Mission are granted to the participants. SIP will
be organized twice a year.
4. ScholarshipProgrammeForDiaspora Children (SPDC)
Schemelaunched by MOIA in 2006-07 to make higher education inIndiaaccessible to the children of overseas
Indians and promoteIndiaas a centre for higher studies.
Under the scheme, 100 scholarships up to US $4000/- per course per annum are offered to PIO and NRI
students (50 each) for undergraduate courses in Engineering, Science, Law, Management, etc. The scheme is
open to NRIs/PIOs from 40 countries with substantial Indian Diaspora population.
Under this scheme,over 468 PIO/NRI students have benefited since inception & 100 students have been

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selected in the current batch.
5. Overseas Indian Youth Club (OIYC)

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MOIA has also launched a new scheme named Overseas Indian Youth Club through our Missions
abroad.Purpose is to keep the overseas Indian youth in touch with the developments inIndia& create a sense
of belongingness towards their Country of origin.
In order to continuethe momentum of affinity and networking of the Diaspora youth with their ancestral
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motherland, MOIA has supported opening of Overseas Indian Youth Club (OIYC) in CGI Durban, South
Africa,HCI Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, HCI Colombo, Sri Lanka, HCI Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and
HCI Port Louis, Mauritius. Similarly, opening of OIYC is making headway in CGI Melbourne, Australia and
HCI Singapore.
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Notes