Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 10: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to provide Rs 97.79 crore Plan and Non-Plan assistance for the modernization of Jammu and Kashmir Police during the financial year 2014-15 and Police Headquarters (PHQ) is going to submit State Action Plan by the end of current month. However, the Ministry has expressed concern over delay in submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs) and directed the State Police to furnish the same along with the Action Plan.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Veena Kumari Meena, Joint Secretary, Police Modernization Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs has conveyed to the State Home Secretary as well as Director General of Police that the Ministry has decided to provide tentative Rs 36.98 crore Non-Plan and Rs 60.81 crore Plan Central Assistance to the Jammu and Kashmir for the modernization of State Police.
As Jammu and Kashmir falls in the Category A states the Ministry of Home Department will provide assistance under the Modernization of Police Force (MPF) scheme on 90:10 (Central : State) sharing basis and State share for the Non-Plan assistance of Rs 36.98 crore would be to the tune of Rs 4.1 crore while as the same for Plan assistance of Rs 60.81 crore would be Rs 6.76 crore.
The MHA has directed the State Home Secretary and Director General of Police to restrict the State Action Plan for the financial year 2014-15 to the extent of funds/resources tentatively allocated by the Ministry, sources said.
In response to a question, sources said, “the MHA had directed the State to submit the Action Plan positively by March 31, 2014 but due to certain reasons the deadline could not be met with and Police Headquarters is now trying to submit the Action Plan by the end of current month”, adding “the Ministry has directed that the Action Plan proposals should be in accordance with the guidelines”.
Sources informed that under Non-Plan, mobility, weapons, equipment, training equipment and forensic equipment are covered while as under Plan assistance, construction and upgradation of police stations/outposts, police lines, police housing, forensic science laboratories, strengthening of training infrastructure and construction of buildings are covered.
They further informed that the Central allocations under Non-Plan is made under two Major Heads 3601 and 2055, adding the allocations under Major Head 3601 will be released in cash and the allocations under Major Head 2055 will be utilized for releasing funds to Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata directly for supply of OFB weapons.
“The MHA has also directed the State to project arms/ammunition requirements from the OFB production range to the extent of Central allocation under Major Head 2055. Apart from OFB weapons, the State Government may also project requirement of other imported weapons in the State Action Plan”, sources said.
Responding to another question, they said that the State Action Plan will be approved by the State Level Empowered Committee before forwarding the same to the MHA, adding “State has the option of forwarding the proposals for Special Modernization Plan in respect of serious internal security challenges along with the Action Plan for allocation out of pool funds/contingency reserve”. However, such proposals would be considered on the availability of funds and furnishing of Utilization Certificates for the entire unspent balance.
The MHA has also sought Action Taken Report on the observations made by the CAG and the observations/recommendations made in the quarterly concurrent audit reports for the year 2011-12 and 2012-13 along with the State Action Plan, sources said.
Disclosing that J&K has not submitted the Utilization Certificates of the unspent balance of Rs 26.61 crore for the financial year 2011-12, they said that MHA has directed that UCs for the Central funds and State share released, utilized and unspent balances should be forwarded along with the State Action Plan. The Utilization Certificates of Rs 22.47 crore Non-Plan funds released during 2012-13 have already become due on April 1, 2014.
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