Failed ‘modernisation’ scheme returns to haunt state police

Dimapur, Oct. 8 (EMN): The Nagaland Public Rights and Awareness Forum (NPRAAF) has once again alleged financial mismanagement in the state’s police department. The groups issued a press statement containing said allegation.
“As per the ministry of Home Affairs’ ‘Annual Reports 2016-17’, the centre sanctioned an amount of Rs 10.70 crore for Nagaland for the year 2016-17 under scheme for Modernization of State Police Forces (MPF) scheme.
“However, the state Finance department, expenditure ‘A’ branch released a total amount of Rs 35.61 crore for the year 2016-17 on four different occasions dated: 28 September 2016 (Rs 8.62 cr), 19 December 2016 (Rs 12.50 cr), 22 February 2017 (Rs 1.99 cr) and 18 March 2017 (Rs 12.50 cr). This results in excess release of Rs 24.91 crore.”
It asked the state government from where it had received “additional funds from the centre for MPF scheme for the year 2016-17 enabling the FD to release an excess amount.” it asked the government to produce ‘sanction order/letter number issued by the central government.’
“If not, then, from where did the FD receive an additional amount of Rs 24.91 crore which was released to the Police department under MPF for the year 2016-17? It will be a wonder of wonders as to how the Police department proposed and the FD simply cleared it. NPRAAF urges upon the FD to clarify on this issue.
“Further, the FD also released a total amount of Rs 20.02 crore for the year 2017-18 on two occasions dated: 23 May 2017 (Rs 14.49 cr) and 13 June 2017 (Rs 5.53 cr) under MPF scheme.
It is highly doubtful that the FD released only the GoI sanctioned amount, since the tentative allocation of MPF for Nagaland during 2017-18 as per ministry of Home Affairs was Rs 13.12 crore thus resulting in excess release of fund again,” it stated.
The NPRAAF has asked the state government to reveal the “total sanction from the GoI to Nagaland state during 2017-18 under MPF scheme and how much amount has been released so far.”
It suggested that the state’s department of Finance should clarify the ‘entire issue for the year 2016-17 and 2017-18 under MPF scheme.’
“To whichever department funds might be released, it all originates from the FD which needs to keep checks and balances on the flow of the state’s finance.
No amount of clarification from the FD on excess release can be justified unless proper sanction order from the GoI is indicated and for which NPRAAF appeals the state vigilance commission to probe on this issue.
“In the meantime, if there are any lapses on the state inquiry, the NPRAAF will initiate to beseech upon central investigating agencies like CBI, NIA etc to probe into the entire fiasco in the FD and different departments,” the statement read.