Narendra Modi government asks states to recruit 33% women in police forces

The Centre has asked all states to see to it that women make up 33% of their police forces. Addressing a function here on the occasion of the foundation day of the Indian Women's Press Corps, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that an advisory has been sent to all states, Union Territories and Central Armed Police Forces to recruit 33% women in their ranks.

"Presently, there are only 1.99% women in the paramilitary forces. But we want to increase it in the next 10 years," he said. The home minister said that women play important roles in the administration and in maintaining law and order and providing logistics.

Singh said he has asked Delhi Police, which functions under the Home Ministry, to hold gender sensitisation programmes for policemen. He added that very few women go to police stations to report crimes as they feel uncomfortable with the predominantly male environment.

Lauding the contribution of women journalists to society, Singh said that the fairer sex has to overcome gender bias to achieve their career goals. Singh, meanwhile, cautioned the media about planted stories, saying that facts should be verified before writing a news story.