Jaipur, Oct. 19 -- Crimes against women in Rajasthan have declined by more than 48% in 2026 compared with 2023, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said on Sunday, attributing the improvement to initiatives such as Kalika patrolling units, community liaison groups and Suraksha Sakhis. Addressing an interaction with women police personnel and women youth community liaison group (CLG) members at the Constitution Club in Jaipur, Sharma said, "Crimes against women in Rajasthan have declined by more than 48% in 2026 compared with 2023. The average investigation time in cases of crimes against women had come down to 48 days." He said Kalika patrolling units had taken action against more than 55,000 anti-social elements, while 50 million women and girls had been made aware of laws concerning their safety and rights. "More than 1.8 million women and girls had also received cyber safety awareness, while around 1.67 million had undergone self-defence training," he added. On the occasion of Navratri, the chief minister announced a fixed monthly travel allowance for women police personnel deployed in Kalika units, on the lines of the allowance provided to constables, head constables and assistant sub-inspectors posted at police stations and outposts. He also flagged off 100 new Kalika patrolling units. "Women's safety is not merely a law-and-order issue but is closely linked to their dignity, freedom, confidence and equal opportunitiesm" he said, and urged women police personnel to discharge their duties with sensitivity, discipline, dedication and courage. The chief minister said 65 anti-Romeo squads were operating to prevent incidents such as harassment in public places. "More than 28,000 complaints had been resolved through the women's helpline 1090 over the past nearly three years, while around 22,000 Suraksha Sakhis had been selected to spread awareness about women's rights and legal safeguards," he said. He said more than 12,500 CCTV cameras had been installed across the state through the Abhay Command and Control Centre. Community policing initiatives had brought together more than 260,000 members, including youth CLG members, police mitras and village guards. He called for regular meetings of community liaison groups at police stations and increased awareness campaigns in rural and urban areas. He said complaints from women and girls must be heard seriously, with their privacy and dignity protected, and called for regular patrolling around schools, colleges, markets, offices and public transport facilities. Home minister Jawahar Singh Bedham said the state was strengthening law and order and women's safety through its zero-tolerance policy towards crime. During the programme, Sharma also interacted with women police personnel and youth CLG members who joined through video conferencing from across Rajasthan to hear their experiences and suggestions....