There are about seven per cent women in police forces in the country and the states and union territories have been asked to increase their numbers by up to 33 per cent, the government today said.
"As on January 1, 2016, the representation of women police personnel is 7.10 per cent at all India level," Minister of State for Home Hansraj G Ahir said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
He said the Union Home Ministry has also issued advisories in 2009 and 2012 to "all the state governments and Union Territories administrations to increase the strength of women police personnel up to 33 per cent of the total strength".
All the state governments have been requested to create additional posts of women constables and sub-Inspectors by converting the vacant posts of men constables into the posts of women constables, Ahir added.
The Minister said his ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has envisaged engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers (MPV) in states and UTs who will act as a link between police and community and help women in distress.
"The MPV will encourage women to come forward with complaints of violence and discrimination, provide information to them on remedies for this and assist them in taking their cases to police authorities.
"Haryana has become the first state to operationalise the MPV scheme. It was launched jointly by the Ministry of WCD and Government of Haryana at Karnal on December 14, 2016 for the districts of Karnal and Mahendragarh," he said.
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