Rule of law fundamental to good governance, says Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

He said that the demand for modernising the police force to meet contemporary needs had been long-standing. "The rule of law is fundamental to good governance and ensuring secure and safe environment in the state is very important," the chief minister said.

"At the DG conference, the prime minister outlined a new vision for the directors general of police across the country, emphasising changes in the law and the concept of smart policing. He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) advocated for being strict yet sensitive, modern and mobile, alert and accountable, reliable and responsive, techno-savvy and trend-oriented. The Uttar Pradesh Police have endeavoured to implement these principles fully," he said.

During the event, the chief minister also presented an air-conditioned helmet to a policeman. More such helmets will be distributed among the police personnel later.

Adityanath said that this initiative is a part of a campaign to elevate the seven-year process of smart policing to new heights. "In these seven years, the rule of law has been firmly established in UP. This adherence to the rule of law has made the police a symbol of respect and trust and has ushered in an era of development and employment in the state, opening up new possibilities for investment and business," the chief minister said.

"With the establishment of the rule of law in the state, UP has risen to become the second-largest economy in the country and is now rapidly positioning itself to become the nation's largest economy," he claimed. Uttar Pradesh has exemplified how the Global Investors Summit and Ground Breaking Ceremony should be conducted, Adityanath said, adding that police officers were recruited through a transparent process, which was free from discrimination.

He added that efforts have been made to reduce the response time of UP-112 and increase the number of PRV-112 vehicles in the state. Over the past seven years, two-wheelers have also been added enabling PRVs to reach streets and localities to better serve the public, the chief minister said.

"During the COVID-19 lockdown, UP Police's PRV-112 garnered significant attention. People witnessed the dedication of the police force, with two-wheelers accessing areas where four-wheelers couldn't reach," he said. Adityanath also mentioned that the government has initiated an ambitious three-year programme to add 6,278 new four-wheelers and two-wheelers to the fleet. This year alone, 1,778 vehicles will be integrated into the fleet, he said.

The chief minister also praised the Kanpur traffic police for its efforts to provide air-conditioned helmets. "These helmets are manufactured by a Hyderabad-based company, with support from Afcons Infrastructure, through their CSR activities, for the Kanpur Metro projec," he said, adding that the introduction of AC helmets will help the traffic police in discharging their duties.