All 17,166 police stations across the country are connected and using the centralised Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS), Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The CCTNS is a centralised online platform to file FIRs, chargesheets, and investigation reports. It can be accessed by law enforcement authorities across the country.
“As on December 2024, all 17,166 Police Stations across the country are connected and using the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS),” Rai said in a written reply in the lower house of the parliament to a query raised by Congress MP VK Sreekandan.
Replying to whether the CCTNS initiative helps in reducing crimes in the country, the MoS said that it was the responsibility of the state governments to “maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens that includes investigation and prosecution of crime and criminals.”
Rai further stated that “police” and “public order” were state subjects under the seventh schedule of the Indian constitution.
Responding to separate sets of queries raised by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Ganapathy Rajkumar P over the selection procedure for conferring Padma Awards, MoS Rai said that any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex was eligible for the civilian awards.
“However, serving government servants, including those working with Public Sector Undertakings, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for the Padma Awards. All nominations/recommendations, including self-nominations, are placed before the Padma Awards Committee for its consideration. The Padma Awards Committee scrutinises all nominations and submits its recommendations for approval of the President of India,” MoS Home Rai stated in his written reply.
The minister said that the Padma Awards committee looks for the lifetime achievement of an individual as well.
“While no rigid criteria or formula for selection is applied by the Padma Awards Committee, it looks for lifetime achievement of an individual as well as an element of public service in the achievements, while making a selection,” he added. (ANI)
