Haryana seeks Central funds to set up all women IRB

New Delhi: In a bid to curb violence against women, Haryana is planning to set up an all women India Reserve Battalion, for which it requested Central funds.

"We propose to raise an all women IRB battalion and for this, I would urge the Government of India to give the necessary support," Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was quoted as saying in his speech copy circulated in a conference convened to thrash out issues on public order and policing. He said the state government was planning to recruit more women in its police force. "Our aim is that at least 10 per cent of our police should be women," Hooda, who did not participate in the conference, said in the speech. At present, the state has two functioning women`s police stations and four more are coming up. All women mobile PCRs are operating in major cities. Hooda supported involvement of citizens in helping police functioning. He also said the role of media has now become extremely important because of its reach and the way it influences people`s minds. "Its role in the context of law and order situations must be constructive and its general attitude must show maturity and balance. A regular interaction with police and civil authorities is indeed required so that the media appreciates the importance of situational nuances and intricacies," Hooda said. PTI