The modernization of police forces plays a crucial role in crime investigation and prevention. Continuation of the umbrella scheme of Modernization of Police Forces by the Central Government till 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs 26,275 crore will ensure the availability of funds for the states to modernize their police forces. Timely and judicious utilization of released funds and improvement in the fund flow from the Central Government to the state governments are important to achieve the desired objectives of modernization. Even though 'Police' and 'Public Order are State subjects, the Central government has been providing financial assistance under the scheme to meet the shortfall of funds needed by the States to modernize their police forces. The Central government adopted a new mechanism on July 1 last year for the release of funds under the Central Sector Scheme under which not more than 25% of the amount earmarked for a state can be released at the beginning of the financial year which also included the scheme for modernization of police forces. Under the new mechanism, additional Central share (not more than 25% at a time) is released upon transfer of the stipulated State share to the Single Nodal Account of DGP offices in case of this scheme and utilization of at least 75% of the funds released earlier (both Central and State shares) and compliance of the conditions of the previous sanction. Information furnished by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home reveals that the delay in submission of utilization certificates by the State Governments cause a delay in the release of funds under the umbrella scheme. The lack of advance planning, delay in the release of funds, the contribution of matching State shares, tendering issues, contractual issues are some of the reasons cited by the MHA for funds released to the State Government and subsequently to the State Police directorate remaining unspent. The Central Government released only Rs 103 crore against the allocation of Rs 770 crore under the scheme due to substantial unspent balance with the State Governments which points towards gaps on the part of the States. During interaction by the committee with State Government representatives, Madhya Pradesh requested that once the State action plan is approved, the allocation for the year should be released. The MHA, however, replied that Rule 232(v) of the General Financial Rules, 2017 mandates, inter alia, that before releasing funds to the State Governments, it must be ensured that they have the capacity to actually spend the balance from the previous year and releases are made during the current year, states a report of the parliamentary panel. Clearly, states improving their capacity to ensure timely utilization of funds is the primary requirement to secure the release of entire funds for central sector schemes. The parliamentary panel, however, notes that the modernization grants given to States are lapsable and therefore, recommends that the MHA may release the funds to States in the first or second quarter so that the States have adequate time to spend the funds. The committee also recommended that the MHA may work out ways to remove administrative delays and bottlenecks that cause delays in the release of funds. Nearly, half of 638 police stations across the country running without a telephone are located in the northeast region revealing the pace of modernization of police forces in the region. Assam accounting for the highest number of 141 of its 344 police stations without a telephone reveals a worrying picture in terms of accessibility of citizens requiring police assistance. The report of the parliamentary panel also reveals that while states like Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab and Goa do not have a single cybercrime cell, Bihar has set up 75 cybercrime cells and registered cases of cybercrime in the country has increased to 50,035 in 2020 from 21,796 cases and challenges of police forces have multiplied with cybercriminals resorting to newer methods and technology to commit cybercrimes. The parliamentary committee notes that operationalization of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) in all States/Union Territories recommends integration of CCTNS data with that of courts, prisons, prosecution, forensics, and fingerprints as part of the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS). This real-time integration will help in reducing duplication of work and errors, speed up the trial of cases significantly and increase the efficiency of the police, it adds. Continuation of the scheme of modernization of police forces brings opportunities for the states to prioritize various projects and work to improve the efficiency of their police forces. Lessons must be learnt from past experiences of allocated funds remaining unspent and police forces building their capacity for timely utilization of funds has become an urgent necessity to equip state police forces with modern amenities and technologies to improve their efficiency in crime investigation and prevention. The gap between the requirement for modernization and utilization of fund meant for it must be eliminated.