MEERUT: With limited means to strengthen and upgrade its security infrastructure UP Police is now planning to work with corporates and utilize their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to better policing standards in the state.Additional director general (Meerut zone) Anand Kumar told TOI, " Modernization of police force is a must in today's time. Use of latest technology can give us that critical edge. Earlier, Schedule VII of the Companies Act provided for only a specific category of activities that could be done through CSR funds. However, the inclusion of 'promotion of road safety rules' has given us an opportunity that we will utilize now."According to sub-section 1 of section 135 of the Companies Act 2013, firms with a net worth of Rs 500 crore or an annual turnover of Rs 1,000 crore will have to allocate 2% of their profit after tax deduction for CSR activities.While CSR activities were earlier confined to areas like poverty, healthcare, gender equality, education and rural development, through an amendment in April 2014, promotion of road safety was also included."Though the promotion of road safety was included in Schedule VII of the Companies Act in April 2014, not much was done on this front. Now, we are planning to partner with corporates to finance road safety infrastructure that will include free training camps for drivers, training sessions for enforcement personnel, installation of a web of CCTV cameras and use of latest technology to better policing," said the ADG.The process of corporate-police partnership has been initiated by Meerut zone and the first meeting in this regard will be held between cops and Industries Association of Noida in in Noida on July 7. "The overall infrastructure required to control crime will be improved through this exercise," said the senior officer.Atul Gupta, secretary of the UP chapter of Indian Industries Association, said that the industry is more than willing to support police. "There are over 100 companies in UP with a net worth of Rs 500 crore or an annual turnover of Rs 1,000 crore and all of them will be glad to contribute. However, while they can help in setting up infrastructure, police and the government will have to take care of its maintenance."In an example of cops adopting modern methods to prevent crime, on Friday, police personnel in Saharanpur were provided with mobile cameras that can be fitted on to their uniforms. Babloo Kumar , Saharanpur SSP, said, "Through these devices, we can strengthen surveillance in the region.""If corporate funding becomes a reality, police force can have that cutting edge, especially in Saharanpur-Muzaffarnagar-Meerut belt which is a difficult territory when it comes to managing crime," said the ADG.

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