Govt launches CCTNS project

By Sanjeeb Kumar Sahoo

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Friday launched crime & criminal tracking networks & systems (CCTNS) pilot project at Vigayan Bhawan in New Delhi.

CCTNS aims at enhancing efficiency and effective policing at all levels, especially at the police station level, through adoption of principles of e-governance, and creation of a nationwide networked infrastructure for evolution of an IT-enabled state-of-the-art tracking system.

The scope of CCTNS spans all 35 States and Union Territories and covers all 20,000 police stations and all higher police offices in the country.

CCTNS will help in quick retrieval of information for criminal investigation between the inquiry officer. Exchange of information between various police stations and higher offices through dedicated connectivity, crime analytics and business intelligence and reduction in manual record maintenance thus saving significant manpower

The aim of the CCTNS project is to bring about computerization and automation in the functioning at the police station and improve service delivery to the citizens. Some of the e-services to be provided to the citizens include filing of complaints/information, obtaining the status of the complaint or case, obtaining the copies of FIRs, post-mortem reports and other permissible documents.

The details of arrested persons/wanted criminals and missing/kidnapped persons and their matching with arrested, unidentified persons and dead bodies, details of stolen/recovered vehicles, arms and other properties, submission of requests for issue/renewal of various NOCs, clearances and permits and status of such requests online, verification requests for servants, employment, passport, senior citizen registrations, etc., and a portal for sharing information and enabling citizens to download forms/certificates. These e-services are only indicative and a final list of e-services would evolve in consultation with all the stakeholders. The service levels for each service would be finalized in consultation with all stakeholders.

This project is initiated by the ministry of home affairs and implemented by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

On June 19, 2009, the cabinet committee on economic affairs was cleared a Rs 2,000 crore project for the scheme in 11th five year plan period.

CCTNS, being a 100 per cent centrally funded scheme, will provide all states with the required funding to run the program. States will bear the cost of building, civil infrastructure, manpower, and recurring and operational costs such as electric power, consumables, and communications tariffs.