Shortfalls galore in police modernization

Bullet-proof vehicles & speed boat procurements diverted, anomalies in fund release: CAG

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, March 31: The Modernization of Police Force (MPF) scheme of the Government of India had not met its desired result in Assam, the findings of an audit have revealed.

A performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the implementation of the scheme in the State has revealed various shortfalls like delayed submission of annual action plan, failure to utilize funds properly, projection of inflated figures of utilization of funds, lack of infrastructure facility, laxity in procurement of vehicles and ammunitions, idequacy in training of police personnel, huge pendency of crimil cases with less cases of conviction etc.

Bullet proof vehicles procured under the MPF 2009-14 for operation purposes were allotted to various other purposes like VVIP carcade, Assam Secretariat, Training Institutes which were not related to operatiol mobility.

Scrutiny has found that 26 bullet proof vehicles for operation purposes were allotted for various other purposes.

“Central funds meant for the procurement of speed boats were diverted in purchasing light motor vehicles,” it said. Against ten speed boats approved, the Assam Police purchased ten LMVs for field level supervisory officers. It also cited that the LMVs were purchased due to high maintence cost of the speed boats. Besides, there were also instances of short release of funds by the government, shortfall in utilization of the funds by the Assam Police headquarters, non-drawal of funds due to non-receipt of fixation of ceiling from the Fince department etc.

Around Rs 20.72 crore sanctioned by the State government for procurement of vehicles and equipment for modernization of police during 2010-12 was not drawn during the respective year due to non-issue of fixation of ceiling by the Fince department and therefore the fund lapsed.

The CAG report also detected several anomalies in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.

“Against 5,000 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) claimed to have been completed, only 1,770 AWCs were actually completed. False utilization certificates were furnished to the Government of India for 56 cases during 2010-11. None of the 210 sampled AWCs had kitchens. Only 13 had toilets which were functioning. Only 11 had functioning hand pumps. Nine of the 71 vehicles purchased for ICDS use were with Child Development Project Officers and 96 per cent of these had no vehicles. Instances of suspected misappropriation of funds, excess payments and misutilization of funds were also noticed during the audit,” the CAG report stated.