Uttar Pradesh to have 20 per cent women constables

Uttar Pradesh is planning to have 20 per cent of its total constabulary as women in the next few years, a top state government official said.

"We already have a policy that stipulates 20 per cent of the constabulary to be women. We are working towards that target. Right now it is much lower but shortly in a few years time, we will be able to come to that figure," state Chief Secretary Javed Usmani told the media on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi.

He was participating in a conference of country's top bureaucrats and police brass convened by the Union home ministry in the wake of the Delhi gang-rape incident.

Usmani said that cases of sexual assault and rape will be put under "quick investigation" and the meeting also discussed lowering the age for juveniles to 16 as compared to the present 18.

"One of the ideas that came up in the meeting was that the age (for categorising someone as a juvenile) should be reduced from 18 to 16 but as I told you earlier it is not a view that has been firmed up earlier. It was one of the ideas that came up and it is for the committee here to take a view on that," he said.

"We will work towards quick investigation (of rape and other women harassment related cases) and we hope that the Government of India will help us set up fast track courts," he said.

He also added that the financial assistance of Rs 35 lakh and a job to the family of the Delhi gang-rape victim, as announced by the UP government, will be provided soon.

"It will be as quickly as possible.... I will check up on that (the aid) but whatever was announced will be provided very early," he said.