Tech-guarding the Country

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has the distinction of
being the first IT-enabled paramilitary force of the country. CRPF has traveled
a long way in its arduous journey towards being IT-enabled. The Electronic Data
Processing (EDP) Cell was set up in the Force in as early as 1972. In the early
years, computers were used mainly for the preparation of pay rolls at the
Directorate of Coordination on Police Computers (DCPC). Those were the early
days of computers, and data was fed through punched cards. Later on, Unix-based
systems and PCs were procured. The communication wing of CRPF handled wireless
communication in the Force. With technologies converging, today the signal wing
in the CRPF handles both EDP/IT and communication. An officer of the rank
additional DIG heads the EDP/IT unit.

CRPF, initially, set up as a one-battalion Crown Representatives
Police, CRPF today is a mammoth 201-battalion strong Force, and employs close to
260,000 officers, men and women. Divided into sectors, and sectors into ranges,
the force has units all across the country. There are special units such as the
Rapid Action Force, women battalions, disaster management battalions, and signal
battalions. It is the main force for law and order duties, internal security,
and counter insurgency operations. By the very nature of its duty, the Force is
highly mobile and scattered. It is often deployed at a very short noticesometimes
on just an hours notice. Most battalions, company and platoons do not have
static location. An ERP solution is a dire necessity to manage such a mammoth
Force deployed on multifarious duties. Moreover, insurgent groups are
increasingly IT-savvy now, and use sophisticated equipments. CRPF has to equip
itself with the latest IT solutions to meet challenges effectively.

The SELO Initiative

The present IT initiative of CRPF is called Project SELO, and is a feather
in the cap of the IT initiatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs. SELO is the
acronym of "Service and Loyalty," the motto of the Force. The
five-year computerization plan was conceived in 1997. It is a customized ERP
solution, and covers all functions of the Force, viz, operations, personnel,
inventory, budget, and finance. The application is well integrated with
messaging and workflow. Various units of the Force have been connected for data
and voice through WAN and LAN. The entire command structure of the Force has
been covered.

Project Leadership

The bureaucratic system functions with objections, delays, eliminations, and
frequent transfers. Regulatory functionaries within the bureaucracy treat IT
projects also with characteristic indifferences and delayed decisions. However,
IT projects need constant nurturing, technological foresights, timely actions,
and sagacious leadership to lead through uncertainties, change, and
obsolescence. The high rate of failure of IT projects, obsolescence of
technology, and absence of precedence in this emerging field increases the
importance of the leadership. Brigadier JS Sawhney provided the leadership and
continuity to Project SELO. He led project since its inception till he left the
CRPF in 2003. Even after, he nurtured the project in advisory capacity up to the
rollout in 2005.

Notwithstanding the fact that the project was in a paramilitary
force, and was led by an army officer, the project was not implemented by
thrusting it down on the unwilling personnel. Indeed, everybody from the lowest
dealing assistant to the director general was approached for the requirement
analysis. This ensured widespread and ready acceptability of the project
throughout the organization.

• It covers all
  functionalities at levels in the hierarchy, down to field units

• The software is
  developed in a Web-based environment

• Mail and messaging
  system is provided with Lotus Notes

• Decision support system
  is integrated into the software

• The software is
  menu-based and user-friendly

The Project

The total project cost of Phase-I was Rs 390.7 mn. It was implemented in
four stages Stage 1 to Stage 4, and in eighty-four offices located in
fifty-one physical locations. It was also implemented at Force headquarters,
sector headquarters, range headquarters and group centers. An extension of
Phase-I was sanctioned to cover thirty newly created offices, and the net
sanctioned amount was Rs 102.4 mn. The extension of Phase-I is being implemented
as Stage 5. In Phase-II of the project, battalions and remaining mobile units
will be covered.

One reason for the failure of many IT projects is lack of
emphasis on training and software. However, Project SELO was implemented with an
appropriate mix of training, software and hardware. NIIT has imparted three
levels of training to CRPF personnel on basic operation, application software,
LAN/WAN, and database administration. Besides, CRPF has a Central Training
College (Telecommunication and IT) located at Ranchi. The college conducts
regular training for CRPF personnel on IT and communication.

With the implementation of Project SELO, the workload of the EDP/IT
unit of CRPF has increased manifold. EDP/IT unit requires personnel with
technical aptitude. Restructuring of personnel deployment has not been able to
keep pace with the increased requirement of technical manpower in the EDP/IT
unit. The EDP/IT wing is now being managed with the help of personnel from other
wings.

Security

A high level of security is being maintained over the network to avoid login
into the system by intruder/hacker or any unauthorized person through
state-of-the-art firewall, intrusion detection and prevention system, anti-virus
and fingerprint system. However, enterprise management system by Computer
Associate has also been implemented for monitoring and auditing the network
performance and management of network.

Road Ahead

Some static units, all battalions and lower formations of the Force are yet
to be covered. These will be covered in subsequent phases of Project SELO.

An IT solution is not a one-off solution. It requires continuous
change and upgradation to keep pace with the changing requirements, and changes
in technology. After the contract period with NIIT, an arrangement will have to
be made for co-sourcing maintenance and upgradation of the system to private
vendors.

The success of SELO is being replicated in other paramilitary
forces. Gaining from the experience of Project SELO, Border Security Force (BSF)
is preparing an IT solution called Project Prahari. Other Forces are also trying
to emulate the success of Project SELO.

Barun Kumar Saha

maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in

The author is an IAS officer of 1992 batch and has a BTech (Hons) degree in
computer science and engineering from IIT-Kharagpur.

Barun K Saha has also written four books