LUCKNOW, Aug. 22 -- The Uttar Pradesh Police is set to significantly augment its armoury with the addition of 6,274 firearms, including 3,774 9mm pistols and 2,500 9mm sub-machine guns, following the state government's approval of a Rs.25.66-crore procurement proposal for the current financial year, confirmed home department officials on Friday. The administrative and financial sanction for the purchase was issued by the Uttar Pradesh government on August 17. Of the total approved expenditure of Rs.25,65,92,556, the government has sanctioned Rs.11.72 crore for 3,774 9mm pistols, with each pistol costing Rs.31,044. Another Rs.13.94 crore has been earmarked for 2,500 9mm sub-machine guns, at a procurement rate of Rs.55,773 per weapon. The purchase will be undertaken through the Uttar Pradesh Police Headquarters, Logistics and Special Task Force headquarters, in accordance with the prescribed procurement procedures, the government order said. The sanction is significant from the perspective of modernising and strengthening the police armoury, particularly by adding a substantial number of compact 9mm pistols as well as automatic 9mm sub-machine guns to the force's operational inventory....