CAG says police force modernisation works affected

Shillong, May 15 (UNI) The modernisation of police force in Meghalaya was adversely affected following non-release of funds to the Home department.

A recently released CAG report for the last fiscal has stated that both the Centre and state government did not release Rs 23.94 crore to the department for implementation of the scheme launched during 1969-70 to effectively deal with the challenges with regard to internal security.

The department also failed to provide basic infrastructure like buildings for police station, outpost rest-rooms and toilets for the women police.

There was short supply of weapons to the police force despite expenditure of Rs 1.69 crore during 2002-07 for which the objectives of the scheme could not be realised even after 37 years of its implementation, the report stated.

Moreover, the Police Communication Network (POLNET) services, a satellite based integrated network which envisages installation of very small aperture terminus (VSAT) and multi access radio telephone (MART) to link the national capital with all the state capitals, were not fully operational in the state.

During the 2002-03 and 2004-05, the Centre released Rs 37.88 lakh to the Director Coordination, police Wireless (DCPW), New Delhi for implementation of POLNET and eight such terminals were installed during 2003-04 and 2004-05.

In addition, 34 remote station units (RSU) and eight base-station units (BSU) were also installed during 2005-06 and 2006-07.

However, one BSU was not working since 2006-07, consequently, POLNET services were not fully operational in state.

UNI PB PP RN1517