States default on Central funds to upgrade police

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, both struck by terror this year are amongst the states that have not spent funds allocated to them by the Centre under a scheme aimed specifically at modernisation of state police forces. While 16 were injured in Wednesday’s blast near the BJP office in Bengaluru, 16 were killed when two blasts ripped through Hyderabad’s Dilsukhnagar area on February 21.According to data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Andhra Pradesh tops the list of states with an unspent amount of R54 crore of a total central allocation of R115 crore. Similarly, Karnataka has an unspent amount of R3.85 crore for the year 2009-10.“It’s a mindset problem,’’ said a home ministry officer, adding, “We have to keep sending reminders to the states imploring them to utilise the funds.”According to information on the scheme, publicised on the MHA’s website, “The Central Government is supplementing the efforts of the state governments to improve the functioning of the police force and equip them adequately with the latest technology for meeting the emerging challenges to public order and internal security in the form of terrorism, naxalism, insurgency, increase in crimes, etc.”The objective behind the central assistance is aimed at reducing the dependence of the states on the army and the paramilitary forces. But the utilisation certificate for the same period shows that Assam, dependent on the army and the paramilitary, for its fight against the insurgents also has an unspent amount of R11 crore of a total allocation of R61 crore.The same is true for Naxal-ridden states. While Chhattisgarh has spent its entire allocation, Jharkhand had not spent R5.19 crore of R33.49 crore. Similarly, Bihar had an unspent amount of R18 crore of its total allocation of R59.35 crore in 2009-10, Harinder Baweja reports.

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, both struck by terror this year are amongst the states that have not spent funds allocated to them by the Centre under a scheme aimed specifically at modernisation of state police forces.

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While 16 were injured in Wednesday’s blast near the BJP office in Bengaluru, 16 were killed when two blasts ripped through Hyderabad’s Dilsukhnagar area on February 21.

According to data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Andhra Pradesh tops the list of states with an unspent amount of Rs. 54 crore of a total central allocation of Rs. 115 crore. Similarly, Karnataka has an unspent amount of Rs. 3.85 crore for the year 2009-10.

“It’s a mindset problem,’’ said a home ministry officer, adding, “We have to keep sending reminders to the states imploring them to utilise the funds.”

According to information on the scheme, publicised on the MHA’s website, “The Central Government is supplementing the efforts of the state governments to improve the functioning of the police force and equip them adequately with the latest technology for meeting the emerging challenges to public order and internal security in the form of terrorism, naxalism, insurgency, increase in crimes, etc.”

But the utilisation certificate for the same period shows that Assam, dependent on the army and the paramilitary, for its fight against the insurgents also has an unspent amount of Rs. 11 crore of a total allocation of Rs. 61 crore.

The same is true for Naxal-ridden states.

While Chhattisgarh has spent its entire allocation, Jharkhand had not spent Rs. 5.19 crore of Rs. 33.49 crore. Similarly, Bihar had an unspent amount of Rs. 18 crore of its total allocation of Rs. 59.35 crore in 2009-10.