Maharashtra Budget 2026: Police to get body-worn cameras for transparency

In a major push towards technologydriven policing Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced that police personnel across the state will be equipped with bodyworn cameras over the next three years The initiative was unveiled as part of the Maharashtra Budget 2026 aimed at modernising law enforcement and strengthening transparency and accountability in policingThe proposal is part of the state governmentrsquos broader ldquoViksit Maharashtra 2047rdquo vision which focuses on adopting advanced technology to improve governance public safety and justice deliveryBodyworn cameras for smart policingAccording to the chief minister bodyworn cameras will be provided to police personnel in a phased manner over the next three yearsThe devices are expected to enhance transparency in police operations improve evidence collection during investigations and increase accountability in interactions between police personnel and citizensOfficials said the move is aimed at building public trust while also ensuring better documentation of policing activitiesMaharashtra Land Title Bill to reduce property disputesAs part of legal reforms the government has also proposed the Maharashtra Land Title Bill also referred to as the Hakkadhari BillThe proposed legislation aims to reduce disputes related to property ownership prevent malpractices in property transfers and ensure stronger protection of citizensrsquo property rightsThe bill is expected to bring greater clarity and transparency to land ownership records which have often been a source of disputes and litigationPush for paperless governance and digital servicesThe government reiterated its commitment to expanding digital governance across departmentsFadnavis said the state plans to computerise 100 per cent of land transactions implement a fully functional eoffice system and gradually transition towards paperless government operationsThese measures are aimed at improving administrative efficiency reducing delays and making government services more accessible to citizens and businessesComprehensive cybersecurity framework plannedTo strengthen digital security the government will implement a comprehensive cybersecurity policy aligned with the vision of Viksit Maharashtra 2047The policy is intended to ensure that Maharashtra develops into a secure and reliable digital ecosystem capable of protecting sensitive government data and digital infrastructureAs part of this initiative an advanced State Data Centre will be established in Nagpur to safeguard the statersquos sovereign data and support government applicationsTechnologydriven policing and forensic capabilitiesThe state government also plans to expand the use of technology in policing and crime investigationMeasures announced in the budget include complete digitisation of police records deployment of advanced CCTV systems and establishment of cyber forensic centres in all districtsIn addition Intelligent Traffic Management Systems ITMS will be introduced to improve traffic monitoring and enhance road safetyTo strengthen forensic investigation capabilities the government has already deployed 21 mobile forensic vehicles on a pilot basis enabling faster and more efficient crime scene analysisThe chief minister also said the Maharashtra Cyber Crime Security Corporation has been made operational to improve monitoring of cyber threats and enhance citizen safety in the digital domainAI technology to tackle wildlife conflictThe government has also announced plans to deploy Artificial Intelligencebased systems to address humanwildlife conflict which has become a growing concern in several parts of the stateThese measures will include AIbased early detection of wildlife movement thermal drones for night patrolling commandandcontrol centres and solar fencing systemsDisaster management infrastructure to be strengthenedIn addition to policing reforms the government plans to strengthen disaster preparednessA State Disaster Management Institute will be established at MIHAN in Nagpur to promote research and develop strategies for dealing with natural and manmade disastersThe state has also approved the creation of a State Disaster Response Force SDRF with four battalions modelled on the National Disaster Response Force NDRF to improve emergency response capabilities across MaharashtraThese initiatives according to the government are part of a broader strategy to modernise governance systems while improving safety security and resilience across the state