New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) State governments have been acting reluctant to fill the yawning vacancies of police personnel, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Sunday stressing that core policing was the key to fighting internal security challenges.

'It is universally acknowledged that in matters concerning security there is no substitute for putting more (police) men and women on the street. That is why I urge you to quicken the pace of recruitment to the police force in your states,' Chidambaram told chief ministers at the internal security meeting held here.

The home minister said that manpower remains 'an acute problem' of police forces.

He said the country had a little over 1.47 million police personnel till Jan 1, 2009, and it increased to 1.5 million by September last year, which is a 'positive sign'.

'However, the flipside is the humongous vacancies in the sanctioned posts. As on Jan 1, 2009, there were 153,428 vacancies. It is expected to decline to 138,559 by March 31, 2010,' he said.

'There is no reason why states should not press the accelerator on recruitment and fill the vacancies. In July 2009, we had commended to the states a new, transparent, technology-driven procedure for recruitment. Only a few states have adopted or indicated willingness to adopt the new procedure,' he said.

He, however, said that 'the real problem behind tardy recruitment is the failure to provide adequate funds under the head 'police''.

'In my view, the subject 'police' does not receive the kind of budgetary support that is required to make the police force in the state a strong and effective instrument of security. I would urge chief ministers to recognise the priority that must be accorded to security and ensure that in the state budget for 2010-11 larger allocations are made for 'police'.'