Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 23:
With the formation of a Unified Command with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh as its chairman, the Union Home Ministry has given its nod to sanction Rs 12 crores for the purpose of modernizing the State Police Department and equip them with sophisticated arms and weapons to deal with militants effectively.
A highly placed source disclosed to The Sangai Express that the green signal for sanctioning the Rs 12 crores was given after Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil who was informed of the formation of a Unified Command structure to deal with the insurgency problem in the State.
The sanctioned amount will be used for procuring sophisticated arms and ammunition, communication gadgets and convoy vehicles among others which are required for giving more teeth to the police force in combating insurgency, the source elucidated.
Efforts have also been made to ensure that the sanctioned amount is utilized properly and efficiently so that past instances of failing to produce utilization certificate in time, is not repeated, the source said.
Failure to produce utilization certificates had forced the Finance Ministry to hold back funds earlier.
The Chief Secretary has taken up the necessary steps in this connection.
It may be noted that as part of the police modernization process, the Union Home Ministry had recently provided 1000 AK-47/56 to the State police commandos and IRB personnel.
The fund being utilized for modernization and maintenance by the State police has been ever increasing during the last ten years and more than 10.72 percent of the total State non-plan amount is now being used for the purpose, the source disclosed.