Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the improved law and order since 2017 has transformed Uttar Pradesh from a riot-prone region into a safer destination for development. Speaking after flagging off 50 Quick Response Team (QRT) vehicles in Lucknow, he said law and order became an election issue for the first time in a democracy, reflecting his govt’s commitment to cracking down on crime and mafia in the state.Stating that QRT vehicles would boost the state’s security, Yogi said since 2017 police have transformed Uttar Pradesh from a riot-ridden, curfew-hit BIMARU state into the growth engine of India’s economy.The chief minister said the police force has demonstrated that a state once associated with disorder and frequent curfews could be turned into a “safe Uttar Pradesh”.“Several reforms were introduced over the past nine years to improve policing in the state. The number of police response vehicles (PRVs) increased from about 9,500 in 2017 to more than 15,500 at present,” the CM said. “Similarly, the number of police motorcycles has risen from around 3,000 to over 9,200. These are not just numbers. They have helped reduce police response time in emergencies. Quick response builds public trust which leads to transformation,” he said.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined three important pillars of model policing. These include infrastructure, technology and mobility, and we are working to improve all three,” he said.Yogi said that before 2017, the police department’s budget was less than Rs 16,000 crore and even that could not be spent. There was a severe lack of infrastructure and police were stuck with old weapons. “Our govt not only provided better residential facilities to security personnel but also upgraded technology and other facilities to make UP Police an extremely effective force,” he said.“When we started the police recruitment process on a large scale in 2017, only around 3,000 personnel could be trained at a single time. Today, 60,244 police constables have been recruited and all of them are being trained at UP’s own training centres. More than 2.19 lakh police personnel have been recruited in the state, which is a historic achievement,” the CM said.He highlighted the state’s tech advancements, saying forensic labs jumped from two to 12 since 2017. He said a world-class State Forensic Institute, run by UP Police, now offers degree, diploma, and certificate courses.He said six A-grade forensic labs are under construction in each district, while two mobile forensic units have also been deployed in every district. “Special teams have also been set up, like the Special Security Force and the State Disaster Response Force. For the first time, a women battalion has been formed in PAC and already, there battalions are ready,” the CM said.Reaffirming the govt’s commitment, the chief minister said the state would continue to follow a “zero tolerance” policy towards crime and corruption.“The UP govt and the police are fully committed to implementing the policies of zero tolerance and zero corruption and to presenting the state as a safe and prosperous growth engine of India,” he said.
