Shillong, June 15: The state government is examining the proposal for raising new battalions for strengthening the state’s police organization.

After chairing a meeting on Tuesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that the state director general of police (DGP) and other officials have placed on records the need to go for new battalions.

“Therefore we are now examining those aspects and see what are the financial implications, the support that the government of India will give, the different rules that are into this and really balance out into this decision making of investing in the existing system and augmenting the existing system and creating new system and try to see how best we can use the limited resources that are there in order to get the maximum benefit…,” he said.

He continued, “The government is very committed to ensure that we strengthen our police system, infrastructure, upgrade our manpower, increase the manpower wherever is required and expand wherever is possible so that we have a much more robust and stronger police network system in place.”

Asked on the status of the proposal for raising the seventh and eighth police battalions, the chief minister said the centre will support the state in terms of certain percentage for raising these battalions but after a year, the entire financial impact will fall on the state government to run them.

“…so with the initial investment that is not that big compared to the overall impact in the next 15-30 years to come, so we have to examine all those aspects,” he said.

“Supposed we are to spend Rs 100 crore, should it go into improving the existing outposts, existing battalions which many of them require a lot of infrastructure, many of the police stations do not have the required manpower, we need money for the cyber crime wing, we need money for the women police and strengthening that in all the districts…should we expand the battalions and let the existing system remain as where it is – these are the kinds of decisions that government has to go through and think carefully before we commit to it,” Sangma added.

The chief minister said if the resources are unlimited the state government would definitely like to go for the seventh and eighth police battalions as well as having women police everywhere, cyber crimes, traffic stations everywhere, and improve outposts.

“…but obviously we all work with certain constraints and that is where the right decision and choices have to be made,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister informed that a very good report was given on the need to improve the infrastructure of existing outposts, police stations and battalions, to train the manpower and improve the current system without expanding it.

“We have gone through it and we are going to do another round of consultation with the SPs and within a week or ten days, will take a final decision on this first part of improving the existing outposts, police stations, battalions and the manpower…,” he said.

He further informed that a detailed presentation was also given on the need to create new posts for strengthening the manpower adding “we will have to look at the entire financial implication to ensure the right decision is taken.”