Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 17: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) provided Rs 547.13 crore to the J&K Police for its modernization since 2010, while the State failed to provide Utilisation Certificates (UC) worth Rs 5 crore to the MHA.
Despite providing a whooping amount of Rs 547.13 cr during last seven years to the J&K Government for modernization of State Police, delay on the part of some bureaucrats have brought embarrassment to the State for their failure to submit the Utilization Certificates to the MHA.
The allocation of funds by Union Ministry of Home Affairs for J&K Police modernization has also been reduced significantly as compared to previous years. The data compiled from MHA revealed that during 2010-11 and 2011-12 , MHA released an amount of Rs 148.25 crore and Rs 109.73 crore, respectively in favour of the State Government, whereas during the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 it was reduced to Rs 35.88 cr and Rs 24.63 cr, respectively.
The data was released by the Union Home Ministry in response to an online RTI filed by an RTI activist from Jammu. In the reply, it has been also revealed that Utilization Certificates amounting to Rs 5 crore have not been submitted by the State Government with the Union Home Ministry and that are pending upto 31/03/2015 for Rs 4.58 core under Non-plan head and Rs 31 lakh under Plan-head.
It is pertinent to mention here that as per the guidelines of the funds released under Police modernization scheme, it has been made ample clear that unless Utilization Certificates are made available for the full amount of the release money, no further release of funds shall be made to any entity.
The funds received under Police Modernization scheme (under Non plan head) has to be spent on strengthening the crime and criminal tracking networks and systems, improving mobility, purchasing and upgrading weapons, equipment, training equipment, forensic equipment, etc. whereas, under Plan head funds may be utilized for the construction / up- gradation of Police Stations / outposts, police lines, police housing, construction of Forensic Science Laboratories and training infrastructure (buildings) etc.