Bhubaneswar: Reacting to the reported statement of Odisha DGP that stoppage of central funding for police modernisation will hit the force, the BJP today said such a remark is grossly misleading and will confuse the public regarding the intention of the Central government.
Financing for modernisation of police forces has been stopped in all states as the scheme was over and the Centre now feels that states should be empowered to take financial decisions, BJP's Odisha unit president K V Singh Deo said in a statement.
The new paradigm shift in governance ushered in by the Centre has made cooperative federalism a corner-stone of development and has decided to strengthen the states financially while giving them more leeway for decision making, he said.
Hence, it accepted Finance Commission's recommendation of giving 42 per cent share of central revenue to the states, a quantum jump of ten per cent.
Now the states would be funding the development efforts with respect to whatever schemes they deem fit including modernisation of police forces from these extra resources, Singh Deo said.
"It is entirely misleading to give an impression that funding for police modernisation has been stopped. The Modi government is very much aware of the requirements of the police force and recognises the role they play in maintaining law and order and containing left wing extremism," he said.
Claiming that the Odisha government was a complete failure in modernising police force despite availability of money, the BJP leader said this was highlighted in the CAG report for the year ending March 2011, which said there were shortages of 78 per cent manpower to handle sophisticated weapons.
DGP Sanjeev Marik had yesterday told reporters that stoppage of funds for police modernisation would hit the police as the state used to get Rs 127 crore per annum from different heads for the development of police.