Nationwide Integration of Police Stations into CCTNS Achieved, Padma Awards Procedures Highlighted

All 17,166 police stations in India are now integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS), enhancing nationwide law enforcement connectivity. Meanwhile, eligibility and selection processes for the Padma Awards, focusing on public service and lifetime achievements, were clarified by Union Minister Nityanand Rai in Parliament.

In a significant development for national law enforcement, all 17,166 police stations across India have been successfully connected to the increasingly essential Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS). Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, addressed the Lok Sabha to confirm the system's widespread adoption.

The CCTNS serves as a centralised online platform facilitating the filing of FIRs, chargesheets, and investigation reports, readily accessible by law enforcement agencies nationwide. Responding to a query by Congress MP VK Sreekandan, Rai reiterated that maintaining law and order largely fell under the purview of state governments, underscoring 'police' and 'public order' as state subjects as per the Indian Constitution.

When questioned separately by DMK MP Ganapathy Rajkumar regarding the Padma Awards, Rai clarified that while the awards are open to all individuals, active government employees, except for doctors and scientists, are not eligible. The Padma Awards Committee evaluates lifetime achievements and public service, without adhering to rigid selection criteria, before making its recommendations.