Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Jan 30: In their bid to make up for the financial crunch and fiscal deficit, the successive State Governments during the past more than 10 years have announced number of austerity measures.
Amazingly, provision of extending benefits of security vehicles by Security wing of J&K Police to those, who are not either elected representatives or well known faces in the political spectrum of the state, is tearing apart the very idea of 'austerity'.
If the sources are to be believed, the protected persons including VVIPs, political big wigs as well as small time politicians irrespective of political parties, Government officers and retired police officers are enjoying the privileges of security vehicles.
Sources said, "Though the Government keeps on repeating that the overall situation in the state has improved over the years and the militancy related incidents have considerably come down then why those politicians who have not much political clout even in their respective areas of activity are being provided with security vehicles which is an unnecessary burden on the State exchequer."
While Security Wing Jammu is providing 360 vehicles including Bullet Proof Cars, Plain Cars and Maruti Gypsies to the 236 protected persons, its counterpart in Kashmir is pressing into service as many as 605 security vehicles to 383 individuals.
"The number of protected persons other than the Governor, Chief Minister, Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and senior police and Government officers is 108 in Jammu region while the number of such category of persons is much higher in Kashmir region.... The others include former Ministers, ex-MLAs, MLCs and in addition a large number of those politicians who are not even recognized names in their respective party circles...," sources said.
Sources further revealed that besides arranging transport for its officers, the Security Wing has to procure vehicles to feed protected persons after spending huge amount of money.
"Throwing its austerity measures to wind, the State Government is spending crores of rupees in the name of providing security vehicles to the protected persons," sources maintained.
"If Rs 4, 25, 95000 were spent during 2009-10, the amount spent in 2011-12 was Rs 3 crore. While the spending rose to Rs 6, 76, 86000 during 2012-13 and the money spent during 2013-14 is Rs 1, 57, 57000.
The purchases made for tyres, batteries and spare parts during 2009-10 was Rs 3,21,00000, in 2011-12 it was Rs 3,21,44000, during 2012-13 the amount spent was Rs 4,25,50000 while during 2013-14 it was Rs 85,89000," sources added.
The figures provided by the sources indicate that security wing purchased vehicles worth Rs 15,60,38000 from 2009 till date while it also procured tyres, batteries and spare parts worth Rs 15,30,80000 during the same period which means more than Rs 31 crores have been spent over the last more than four years. |
