Raj govt fails to utilise Centre's funds for police

Rajasthan government did not derive optimal benefit from Centre's scheme for police modernisation, a CAG report said.
The state government under the scheme procured modern weapons less than required and did not distribute most of them to the field units despite persistent shortage, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's report for the year 2013-14 tabled in the legislative assembly today said.
"It was required to prepare a perspective long term plan but the Government of Rajasthan did not prepare it. The state government neither contributed its matching share to the scheme nor utilised available central fund," the CAG report said.

The Government of India launched Modernisation of Police Force to improve the operational efficiency of the state police forces and to adequately equip them to effectively face the emerging challenges of law and order and internal security.
Against the required 15,884 number of modern weapons, only 3962 weapons were received by the state government during the period 2009-14, it said.
Most of the weapons (2,350) procured under the scheme were not distributed to field units and remained idle.

In Forensic Science Laboratories, samples in large number were pending for analysis, it said.
Non-utilisation of the equipment for want of repairs/maintenance was also adversely affecting policy investigation.

The report also mentioned that police response time in maximum cases could not be worked out as necessary information was not recorded in crime register by Station House Officer.
The CAG suggested the state government to prepare a long term strategic plan and also procurement and proper distribution of modern weapons to field units.