Jammu, Jan 13: Despite liberal funding by the union home ministry for modernization of Jammu and Kashmir Police under ‘Assistance to States for Modernization of Police’ scheme, the state government has failed to submit utilization certificates to the Union Home Ministry within stipulated period of time which is primary condition for further release of funds.
As per the information shared by the Police Modernization division of Union Home Ministry in response to an RTI Application of Jammu based information seeker Raman Sharma, it has been informed that during the period between 2014-15 to 2017-18 an amount of Rs. 2223 Crore has been released under the police modernization scheme to the state but unfortunately the Utilization certificates amounting Rs 57.48 crores are pending from the Jammu and Kashmir Government for the last 5 years, the state home department even failed to submit UCs of financial years 2014-15 to 2017-18.
It is pertinent to mention here that under this scheme, the States are grouped into two categories, namely Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’ for the purpose of funding.
Including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other North-East States, J and K is also kept in group ‘A’ and is eligible to receive 90% of financial assistance and need to provide 10% of their own funds. The remaining States are in Category ‘B’ and these States are provided funds in the ratio of 60:40, with Central Government providing 60% of the funds under the MPF scheme, however non-submission of utilization certificates in time impacts the further release of funds by the MHA.
Earlier, lethargy and undermining the importance of timely submission of such Utilization Certificate by the Jammu and Kashmir Government has resulted in constituting of a financial indiscipline of the sorts inviting the resultant drastic reduction of funding under Border Area Development Program by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
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