Crime rate has declined by 6% in State, says Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anitha

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said in the Legislative Assembly on Friday that crime rate in the State had come down by 6% compared to what it was during the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) regime, and reiterated that maintaining law and order was on top of the coalition government’s agenda.

Making a statement during a discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants to the Home Administration, Ms. Anitha said steps had been taken to curb cybercrimes, which was an area of concern, and control attacks on women, for which Shakti App was launched and Shakti Teams formed. These measures resulted in the crimes against women coming down by 4.40%, she added.

She said the government was committed to firmly dealing with provocative behaviour by anyone, including YSRCP activists, as maintenance of law and order was crucial to have a peaceful atmosphere. Only then would investments come, unlike during the YSRCP rule, when prospective entrepreneurs could not dare to set up their units in the State due to the hostile conditions prevalent at that time, the Home Minister said.

Ms. Anitha asserted that it was because of effective functioning of the law and order machinery in the last 20 months that huge investments were committed in the State.

As the cybercrimes posed a rising threat, cybercrime police stations were in the process of being established in all the districts and awareness being created on how to be safe, she said.