Kathmandu, March 11:

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula today said that the government wanted to strengthen the police administration to make it more competent and efficient in maintaining law and order in society and control crime in the transitional period.

Giving directives to the high-ranking police officials at the Mahendra Police Club, Sitaula said the government was committed to support the police administration to strengthen it. “The government will do all needful to strengthen the police organisation so that it can effectively handle the transitional period the country is passing through,” Sitaula said, adding that the government would equip the police organisations mobilising resources from the donors.

“The government’s top priority is to institutionalise the achievements of the Jana Andolan II through an election to a constituent assembly,” he said.

“You do not need to worry, as the entire nation is behind you and the Council of Ministers will take full responsibility of what you do while accomplishing your duties and responsibilities,” Sitaula said. “You are now independent to carry out your duties in maintaining law and order,” he said.

Sitaula said all the displaced police posts would be restored soon. “The regressive forces are trying not to let the police posts set up so as to foil the CA polls. But we will manage to restore the posts on time,” he said, adding: “In the changed context, the police administration must display an example so that the general people may feel that police are their friends.”

He conceded that there were complications for the implementation of all the political agreements, including the comprehensive peace accord. But they would be implemented, as all the parties are committed to them, he said.

Earlier, Home Secretary Umesh Mainali asked the police rank-and-file to be accountable to the people by maintaining the organisational impartiality and professionalism.

IGP Om Bikram Rana said that 1,271 police units had already been restored across the country. He said that total strength of the police force currently stands at 47,411 and 6,146 additional recruitment would also be made within a couple of months. Rana said the Government of India had provided the metropolitan police with 255 vehicles and some communication equipment.