Police modernisation scheme takes a hit

Months after home minister Rajnath Singh promised to double money for modernisation of police forces, the government appears set to cut down funding.

Months after home minister Rajnath Singh promised to double money for modernisation of police forces, the government appears set to cut down funding.

The home ministry this week told state governments that the finance ministry was expected to allocate Rs 595 crore for the scheme and asked states to only submit their proposals for the non-plan component.

Money spent on vehicles, weaponry and equipment for training, forensic and policing is counted as non-plan expenditure.

Plan expenditure, on the other hand, covers construction of police stations, houses, laboratories and training infrastructure.

“For the year 2015-16, budgetary allocation for MPF scheme has not been communicated by the ministry of finance. However, it is expected that Rs 595 crore (non-plan) will be allocated,” V Vumlunmang, the home ministry’s joint secretary, told states this week.

Sources said Centre could pull the plug on the plan component of the scheme since states would get a higher share of the central taxes as per the 14th Finance Commission recommendations.

In previous years, the Central allocation for the two components of the scheme has been around Rs 1,200-1,500 crore.

But this is not the first time that the government hasn’t delivered on its promise of a bigger pie for the state police forces.

In its first budget presented in July last year too, the Modi government drew loud cheers when it proposed to raise Central funding for the modernisation scheme to Rs 3,000 crore.

It could not keep its promise, prompting the home ministry to advice states in December-end not to expect the promised windfall.