Lok Sabha Question No. 1205 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Upgradation of Forensic Labs and related Infrastructure
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. C M Ramesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1205

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH  JULY, 2024/ SHRAVAN 8, 1946 (SAKA)

UPGRADATION OF FORENSIC LABS AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE

1205 SHRI C M RAMESH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of forensic labs in the country, State-wise;

- (b) whether in view of new criminal laws which were notified and came into  force  from  1st  July,  2024,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Ministry  to upgrade forensic labs and related infrastructure in the country;
- (c)  whether there is a proposal to set up National Forensic Sciences University campuses in the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

- (a) There are 07 Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in the country located at Chandigarh, Delhi, Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Hyderabad. The  State-wise  details  of  forensic  labs  of the States / Union Territories may be seen at Annexure.
- (b) Yes sir. The Government is focused on strengthening the capacities for investigation and prosecution, including the eco-system for forensic  sciences in the  country. The process  of strengthening  of

forensic laboratories and related facilities in the country is an ongoing and  continuous  process  which  is  dependent  on  gap-analysis  and demand  assessment.  'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities  to  maintain  law  and  order,  protection  of  life  and property  of  the  citizens  including  investigation,  prosecution  of  crime and  criminals,  and  related  forensic  science  facilities,  are  with  the State/Union Territory concerned.

The  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Central  Government  to upgrade forensic labs and also forensic infrastructure in the country:

(i) Modernization of Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories at Bhopal, Guwahati, Pune and Kolkata.

(ii)  Upgrading  of  machinery  &  equipment  in  the  Central  Forensic Sciences Laboratories, including in the new disciplines of Forensics in Narcotic  Drugs  &  Psychotropic  Substances,  Digital  Forensics,  DNA Forensic analysis, Forensic Psychology.

(iii) Setting-up a State-of-the-art DNA  Analysis and  Research  & Development  facility  at  the  Central  Forensic  Sciences  Laboratory  at Chandigarh.

(iv)  Setting-up  a  National  Cyber  Forensic  Laboratory  at  the  Central Forensic  Sciences  Laboratory,  Hyderabad  to  investigate  important cases of digital fraud / cyber forensics.

(v)  Operationalizing  an  e-Forensics  IT  platform,  which  connects  117 forensic science laboratories (Central and State) in the country.

(vi) The Ministry of Home Affairs has provided in-principle approval for establishment  of  a  Central  Forensic  Science  Laboratory  in  Samba (Jammu & Kashmir) with a total financial outlay of ₹99.76 crore.

(vii) The National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) has been set up under the Act of the Parliament in the year 2020 for providing quality and  trained  forensic  manpower  across  all  parts  of  the  country.  The headquarter  of  the  NFSU  is  located  in  Gandhinagar,  Gujarat.  Apart from this, campuses of the NFSU are situated at Delhi, Goa, Agartala (Tripura), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Dharwad (Karnataka), and Guwahati (Assam). The NFSU has also started training academies in Imphal (Manipur) and Pune (Maharashtra).

(viii) A Scheme 'National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme' has been approved by the Cabinet on 19.06.2024 with a total financial outlay of ₹2254.43 crore from financial year 2024-25 to 202829,  to  enhance  the  forensic testing infrastructure in the country and

address  the  shortage  of  forensic  professionals  in  the  country  along with reducing pendency of cases in the forensic science laboratories in  the  country.  The  Scheme  comprises  establishment  of  09  offcampuses  of  the  National  Forensic  Sciences  University,  07  Central Forensic  Science  Laboratories  in  the  country,  and  enhancement  of existing infrastructure of the Delhi Campus of the NFSU.

(ix) Assistance is being given to States/ Union Territories for strengthening the DNA analysis, Cyber-forensics and related facilities in  their  forensic  laboratories  under  Nirbhaya  Fund  Scheme.  Projects have been approved for 30 States/ Union Territories at a total cost of ₹250.59 crore.

(x)  A  Scheme  for  Modernization  of  Forensic  Capacities  with  a  total financial  outlay  of  ₹2080.5  crore  has  been  approved.  Under  this scheme, assistance is available to States/ Union Territories to develop high quality forensic science facilities for modernization of machinery and equipment including mobile forensic vans, and facilitating availability of trained manpower in these laboratories through expansion of educational facilities for forensic science in the country. So far, funds to the tune of about ₹186.12 crore have been approved for 18 States / Union Territories for the component of 'Modernization /

Upgradation  of  Forensic  Science  Laboratories  in States /  Union Territories'  and  ₹207.98  crore  have  been  approved  for  20  States  / Union Territories  for  the  component  of  'Mobile  Forensic  Vans  for  all districts and State FSLs in the country' under the scheme. Apart from this, funds to the tune of ₹236.25 crore have been released under the scheme  for  the  component  of  establishment  of  off-campuses  and centres  of  excellence  of  the  NFSU  and  training  /  skilling  academies accredited by the NFSU.

(xi) Under the Umbrella Scheme on 'Safety of Women', establishment of  a  dedicated  cyber  forensic  science  laboratory  in  the  six  CFSLs located at Pune, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bhopal, Delhi, and Guwahati, on the lines of National  Cyber  Forensic  Lab,  Hyderabad  has  been approved  with  a  total  financial  outlay  of  ₹126.84  crore.  Further,  to systematically  stockpile  the  forensic  data  received  from  all  forensic labs, establishment of National Forensic Data Centre  has  been approved under the said scheme with a total outlay of ₹200.16 crore. Along with this, establishment of residential buildings for the reporting officers  in  CFSLs  located  at  Bhopal,  Pune,  and  Guwahati  have  also been  approved  under  the  said  scheme  with  a  total  outlay  of  ₹27.25 crore.

(xii)    To  ensure  quality  and  standardization  in  forensic  examination, the  Directorate  of  Forensic  Science  Services,  MHA,  has  issued  the following guidelines:

-  Quality  Manuals  for  accreditation  of  laboratories  as  per  NABL standards   (ISO 17025)   and   Working  Procedure   Manuals   in   nine disciplines of Forensic Sciences.

-  Quality  Manuals  and  Working  Procedure  Manuals  for  Biology,  DNA, Chemistry,  Explosive,  Narcotics,  Toxicology,  ICJS  Forensic  Portal, Speaker Identification and Computer Forensics.

-  Guidelines  for  collection,  preservation  &  transportation  of  forensic evidence  in sexual assault cases  for Investigating Officers  and medical Officers.

-  Standard  list  of  Equipment  for  establishing/upgrading  of  Forensic Sciences Laboratories.

(c)  and  (d)  Under the  'National  Forensic  Infrastructure  Enhancement Scheme', establishment of 09 off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University in the country has been inter-alia approved with a total outlay of ₹1309.13 crore. The off-campuses of the NFSU are set up  based  on  factors  such  as  availability  of  students,  feasibility  of location and stakeholder consultation etc.

*****

## Annexure

## The State-wise details of forensic labs of the States / Union Territories.

| S. No.              | States / UTs No. of State   |   No. of Regional FSLs |
|---------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------|
| 1 A&N               | Islands 1                   |                      0 |
| 2 Andhra            | Pradesh 1                   |                      5 |
| 3 Arunachal Pradesh | 1                           |                      0 |
| 4 Assam             | 1                           |                      5 |
| 5 Bihar             | 1                           |                      2 |
| 6 Chhattisgarh      | 1                           |                      3 |
| 7 Delhi             | 1                           |                      1 |
| 8 Gujarat           | 1                           |                      6 |
| 9 Goa               | 1                           |                      0 |
| 10 Haryana          | 1                           |                      4 |
| 11 Himachal Pradesh | 1                           |                      2 |
| 12 Jharkhand        | 1                           |                      0 |
| 13 J&K              | 1                           |                      0 |
| 14 Kerala           | 1                           |                      3 |
| 15 Karnataka        | 1                           |                      7 |
| 16 West Bengal      | 1                           |                      2 |
| 17 Madhya Pradesh   | 1                           |                      4 |
| 18 Maharashtra      | 1                           |                     13 |
| 19 Manipur          | 1                           |                      0 |
| 20 Meghalaya        | 1                           |                      0 |
| 21 Mizoram          | 1                           |                      0 |
| 22 Nagaland         | 1                           |                      0 |
| 23 Odisha           | 1                           |                      3 |
| 24 Puducherry       | 1                           |                      0 |
| 25 Punjab           | 1                           |                      3 |
| 26 Rajasthan        | 1                           |                      6 |
| 27 Sikkim           | 1                           |                      0 |
| 28 Tamil Nadu       | 1                           |                     10 |
| 29 Telangana        | 1                           |                      6 |
| 30 Tripura          | 1                           |                      0 |
| 31 Uttar            | Pradesh 1                   |                     11 |
| 32 Uttarakhand      | 1                           |                      1 |
|                     | Grand Total 32              |                     97 |

(Source: Directorate of Forensic Science Services)