Home Ministry asks States to file all FIRs through CCTNS

NEW DELHI: The home ministry has set a deadline of January 2016 for states to file all first information reports or FIRs using the integrated Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems ( CCTNS). The Union Cabinet recently gave an extension to complete the much-delayed scheme by March 2017.

In a recent communication to state governments and union territories (UTs) the home ministry said, “All states/UT need to share date with the national data centre (NDC). Only those states/UTs which share database with NDC will have access to the national level database and related reports. This will enable real time search and query on national crime data.”

Only 21 of the 35 states and UTs are sharing data with the NDC, according to the home ministry. The states that are not sharing the data include BJP-ruled Gujarat, with PM Narendra Modi’s home town Vadnagar also lagging in connectivity with the National Knowledge Network, according to the ministry.

Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, both ruled by the BJP, also figure in the list of states that have not supplied data to the NDC. In its letter to the states, the home ministry said the “quality of data needs to be monitored and the states must ensure that data entered in CCTNS is complete and correct”.

Emphasising on the need to integrate prisons, courts and CCTNS, the ministry also asked the states to ensure that data is regularly integrated. The ministry told the states that funds for network through BSNL will be provided by the Centre only for “implementation duration plus three years to all states”.