INR 185.25 cr. released to NE states for security-related expenditure; Nagaland’s share is INR 22.82 cr.

DIMAPUR— The government of India has released a total of INR 185.25 crore to six northeastern states, including Nagaland as security-related expenditure (SRE) for the year 2022-23 (up to Feb. 28 2023).

The Central government has been implementing this non-plan scheme for reimbursement of SRE for the States seriously affected by insurgency since 1995, and it is effective in all northeastern states except Mizoram and Sikkim. Under the scheme, the expenditure on security related items is shared between the centre and the state concerned in the ratio of 90:10.

An update from the Ministry of Home Affairs informed that INR 22.82 crore was released to Nagaland for the year 2022-23 under the scheme, while Assam received INR 109.16 crore (highest in the Northeast), Manipur INR 23.64 crore, Tripura INR 18.85 crore, Meghalaya INR 6.45 crore, and Arunachal Pradesh INR 4.30 crore.

The expenditure on the security-related items are shared which include special training to state police and prison administration personnel for counter-insurgency capabilities; raising of India Reserve Battalions; civil works including necessary repairs for providing infrastructure support to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs); logistics provided to the CAPFs/Army deployed in the state; ex-gratia grant and gratuitous relief to the victims of extremist violence; transportation of arrested militants to jails outside the state or those arrested from outside the state and brought to the state by special flights.

The scheme also covers honorarium paid to village guards / village defence committees /village defence force / SPOs / home guards deployed for security purposes; national security agency detenue; surrendered insurgents and their rehabilitation; maintenance of designated camps set up for groups with whom the central government/state governments have entered into agreement for suspension of operation (SoO); and training of SoO cadres.

The update further informed that 75% of expenditure incurred on POL (petrol, oil and lubricants) by state police is admissible for reimbursement by the central government and ex-gratia payment in case of death/ permanent incapacity of CAPFS personnel is borne 100% by the central government.

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