Each policeman from a constable to the police chief in Himachal Pradesh will now have a digital code or a unique personal identification card instead of a belt number, a tradition which has been going on since the days of the British Raj, sources said.
This seven digit code will have detailed personal and official information about the concerned official and will remain permanent unlike the belt number.
Among other reforms the state police has changed the uniform of the police from the khaki to sky blue.
This controversial move has not been taken well by the Indian Police Service(IPS) officers who have refused to don the blue unform.
The IPS officers say they will follow the federal home ministry instructions rather than what the state government decides about the colour of their uniform.
Amid all the confusion it is common to find policemen at all levels in Himachal wearing both the khaki and blue uniform.
While the state government wants to do away with the much abused and severe looking khaki,critics of the blue uniform say this looks like the uniform of private security guards rather than policemen.
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
