Punjab's record in police modernisation poor : Centre

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) The Centre has expressed dissatisfaction over the Punjab Government not utilising funds sanctioned for the modernisation of police in the state.

Home Secretary V K Duggal conveyed this to senior state government and police officials during his two-day visit to Punjab, which concluded yesterday, that as far as utilisation of funds meant for police modernisation is concerned the record of the state was not good.

Punjab has been sanctioned Rs 171 crore for this purpose during the current financial year. The performance of the state during the previous year was also not good as it had been able to utilise only 48 percent of the Rs 23 crore sanctioned by the Centre, official sources said here.

Meanwhile, the Centre has agreed to sanction one India Reserve Battalion for Punjab soon. The state government should send the proposal in this regard and the Home Ministry would soon clear it, the Home Secretary informed the state officials. Earlier, the centre had sanctioned one IR battalion for the state, but Punjab Government had already constituted it.

The Centre provides financial assistance to the state for raising IR battalions to strengthen their police force. The states have to send their proposal in this regard. Depending on the internal security and law and order situation in the state, the Centre sanctions it following which the state raise it within two years.

The states could not raise these IR battalion directly without sanction and the Centre has the power to deploy these IR battalions even outside the state where it has been raised to tackle law and order problem. At present 66 India Reserve Battalions have been raised in the country and three more battalions have been sanctioned for Orissa.

The Centre has also assured the Punjab government that funds under the Border Area Development Programme would be provided to it.

The home Secretary told the state officials that in-principle decision has already been taken to assist the state for border area development under the scheme.

Meanwhile, the state government informed Mr Duggal that the process of acquisition of land for Integrated Check Post at Wagah will soon start. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 75 crore for the purpose.

Regarding the law and order situation in the state in view of the coming assembly elections, the Home Secretary said that paramilitary forces would be provided as per the direction of the Election Commission. He said the recent violent incidents in the state were isolated ones and as per credible information, the election is likely to be peaceful.

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