Balangir, July 8: Kalahandi has became the first district in eastern Odisha to gain access to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System.

The project was inaugurated by the DIG of police, southwestern police range, S. Debadatta Singh, at the town police station in Bhawanipatna today.

This is a project of the National Crime Record Bureau and the Union home ministry and is aimed at connecting all police stations of the country through a virtual private network.

Speaking on the occasion, Singh said: “The technology will help police to track criminals across the country. The project will connect all police stations across the country,” Singh said.

Apart from Kalahandi, three other places — Angul, Kendrapada and Berhampur — have the facility in the state.

The tracking network aims to create a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of police through e-governance and creation of a nationwide network for an IT-enabled state-of-the-art tracking system for investigation crime and detection of criminals.

The objectives of the scheme are to make the police citizen-friendly and transparent by automating the functioning of police stations.

It will improve delivery of citizen-centric services and facilitate investigation.

It will also help in improving functioning in areas such as law and order and traffic management.

The network will also facilitate in interaction and sharing of information among police stations, districts and states.