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"Serious lapses in U.P. police modernisation"

State Government fails to make full use of funds to undertake works: CAG

ALLAHABAD: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has noted serious lapses in implementation of police modernisation schemes in Uttar Pradesh whereby the force was using obsolete weapons to tackle terrorism, Naxalism and other internal security threats.

In its report for the year ended March 31, 2005, CAG said the State Government failed to make full use of funds to undertake works like replacement of obsolete weapons with modern ones, increasing its fleet of vehicles, computerisation and development of infrastructure.

It said Rs.810 crore was sanctioned for modernisation of police of which Rs.314.95 crore (39 per cent) was unutilised and in 80 per cent cases outdated weapons were used despite funds and government approval for acquiring modern arms.

The Union Home Ministry approved replacement of 14,666 outdated weapons like .303 Rifles and .410 muskets against which the police department acquired only 9,768 (67 per cent) 7.62 SLR/5.56 INSAS guns. It also gave approval for addition of 9,046 AK-47 assault rifles during 2000-05 and only 1500 (17 per cent) were acquired, the report said.

Noting the State Government's ``inability to make any addition to the deficient fleet of vehicles of the police force'', it said in 2000-01 there were 9,780 vehicles (61 per cent) short of 16,147 vehicles required as per norms set by Bureau of Police Research and Development, New Delhi.

As against 4,666 purchases sanctioned in 2000-05, only 2383 were bought, which could not augment the fleet strength as they were meant to replace condemned vehicles, it said.- PTI

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