The Hindu Business Line : ‘We are giving special training and sensitising the police.’

A senior Congress leader who was Goa Pradesh Congress president during the June State Assembly polls which brought the Congress-led coalition back to power, Mr Ravi Naik is considered No 2 in the Digambar Kamat Government. Mr Naik also holds the Cooperation, Child and Women’s Development portfolios. Mr Naik says his aim is “to modernise the police force and at the same time to make police people-friendly”.

What have been your priorities?

A large number of foreign and domestic tourists, VIPS and VVIPs keep visiting the State all the time. Being a tourist destination, issues such as the drug problem and child abuse have been affecting the State over the years. Since I took over as Home Minister, I have concentrated on trying to modernise the police force in all respects.

Your major achievements?

The biggest task I have undertaken is to try and improve the image of the police. For this, I have to undo the public perception that the Goa police is “highly politicised”. Their morale has to be raised. I give police a free hand … no interference.

I am working on projects to get quality training, sensitisation programmes, improve crime detection as well as rate of conviction in criminal cases. I will back them with men and material and training facilities.

What about growing crime?

Yes, crime is on the rise, but what is important is the police in recent times has been able to successfully unlock a lot of robbery and theft cases and apprehend culprits. I have focused on certain areas such as narcotics and drugs. Several foreigners were hitherto freely living beyond their visa expiry and indulging in all kinds of crimes. We have deported over 60 history-sheeters who indulged in all kinds of criminal activities and drug and narcotics dealings.

On the traffic front, Goa has a very high fatal accident rate – around 300 people die per annum in this tiny State. I have been monitoring the police functioning in this area to make it effective.

What about the Cooperation Department?

I am about to implement the new Goa Co-operative Act. Our co-operative sector banks are doing a good job. But we need to improve the performance of the co-operative sector in agriculture.

Child and Women’s Welfare?

I want to make poor women self-sufficient through institutions like self-help groups. We have launched special schemes like financial assistance to vendors of small businesses.

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