Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 4: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has gone tough in releasing funds to the State Government under various proposals including Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and cross-LoC trade without receiving the Utilization Certificates (UCs) but has, in principle, given nod to raising ex-gratia relief for police martyrs at Rs 17 lakh at par with para-military forces, opening of six more Police Schools in the State and providing special funds to the families of martyrs, SPOs and VDC members.
At a high level meeting in New Delhi with top brass of Jammu and Kashmir Government and Police Department, the MHA officials called upon the officials to clear all pending liabilities and provide UCs under the SRE before asking for more funds under various schemes.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the MHA was not averse to funding various new proposals for modernization of Police Department and giving boost to cross-LoC trade but it categorically told the officials of the State Government that they won’t get anything new unless they clear the liabilities and provide the UCs.
The MHA was represented in the meeting by Secretary Internal Security Ashok Prasad while J&K officials, who attended the meeting among others, were Principal Secretary (Home) RK Goyal, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Headquarters, Dr Shesh Pal Vaid and Commissioner/Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department Shailender Kumar.
“The MHA has, in principle, agreed to demand of Police Department for increasing ex-gratia in favour of next of kin of police martyrs at par with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)—the para-military forces to Rs 17 lakh as against present payment of Rs 10 lakh,’’ sources said, adding the State Government was of the view that CAPF and police martyrs should be treated at par and there should be no discrimination with their families.
They pointed out that families of JKP martyrs were getting Rs 10 lakh as against Rs 17 lakh of the CAPFs. The State Government has recently increased its share for the families of police martyrs from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. Now, the Centre was required to increase its share from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh to bring the amount at par with the martyrs of para-military forces.
Sources said the MHA has, in principle, agreed to the demand but wanted amount being paid to police martyrs in Naxalite-hit and North East States to be studied before giving final nod to the proposal.
“The Centre has agreed to take holistic view of the demand keeping in view the disturbed conditions prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir and the situation police personnel had to face every day,’’ sources said.
The MHA was not averse to Police proposal to open six new Police Schools at Doda, Rajouri in Jammu region, Anantnag and Baramulla in Kashmir and Leh and Kargil in Ladakh with MHA funds of Rs 6.6 crores.
“The MHA was in favour of the proposal and has, in principle, approved it. However, a lot would depend on availability of funds and providing UCs of previous works and proposals approved by the MHA,’’ sources said.
The MHA also agreed for Rs 5 crores for ‘Police Parivar’ through which the Police Department provides financial help to the families of police personnel, Special Police Officers (SPOs) and Village Defence Committee (VDC) members.
Sources said on Security Related Expenditure (SRE), the MHA has made it clear that it can’t take fresh proposal unless the Government reconciled the previous bills, settled all pending cases and make available the Utilization Certificates.
On cross-LoC trade, the MHA was ready to take responsibility of security measures like providing full-body scanners at both cross-LoC routes of Poonch Rawlakote in Jammu and Uri-Muzaffarabad in Kashmir for which the global tenders had been floated.
The MHA was not averse to some of the proposals mooted by the Industries and Commerce Department for boosting cross-LoC trade and travel on both the routes of Jammu and Kashmir but it wants UCs of previously released amount, sources said.
The State Government has sought inclusion of additional items that can be exported across LoC through Chakan da Bagh and Salamabad points.
“Some of the trade out items proposed for inclusion in the list by the State Government were metal, alloy and chemical products, readymade garments, edible products, cricket bats, wooden and steel furniture, canned wazwan and chicken, Plaster of Paris, juices & jams, packaged drinking water and plastic and sanitary ware,” sources said.
The cross-LoC trade, which started in 2008, is conducted four days a week between Tuesday to Friday. As many as 303 traders are registered and 21 items are on the approved export, import list as per Standing Operating Procedure.
The Cross LoC trade has recorded a business of Rs 2,780 crore since 2008. The volume of trade on Chakan da Bagh has been to the tune of Rs 1,080 crore, while that on Salamabad point has been around Rs 1,700 crore.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel