CAG raps J&K govt for poor police infrastructure, facilities

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India in its latest report has rapped Jammu and Kashmir government for poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities for the police force in the state.
The government auditor came hard against the state's 'negligence' towards police department as it revealed that 18 police stations and 103 police posts were operating without 'own' buildings.
"Under Modernisation of Police Force (MoPF) plan, assistance is provided for construction of buildings. As many as 18 police stations and 103 police posts in the state were without its own buildings. However, out of 192 only 89 police posts are functioning from own buildings", Accountant General of J&K, Khalid Bin Jamal said.

The audit was conducted between January- April 2014 with an objective to find the annual plan provision of infrastructure for effective policing at police station level, funding for infrastructure facilities in accordance with BPR&D, Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
"Police Station is the first contact point of people in distress with the state government and hence the importance of efficient and effective police functioning at the police station level is important for building public confidence in the state. This seems to have been neglected", CAG for the years ended 31st March 2014, said.
The report, which was tabled in the two houses of state Legislature here, said: "Out of Rs 394.30 crore incurred on construction works, only Rs 18.10 crore (three per cent) was incurred on construction, repair and renovation of police stations during the period 2004-14".

The report further said the position of functional infrastructural facilities was found lacking in eight test- checked districts (105 police stations).

"The availability of interrogation room (17 per cent), rest room (28 percent), single lock-up room (49 per cent), separate toilets for women (12 per cent) was dismal. None of the PSs in six of the eight police districts had a separate toilet for the women", it said.
In test-check of eight districts, out of 105 police stations, 25 have reception rooms, 18 have interrogation rooms, 81 have wireless rooms, 29 have rest rooms, 88 have boundary walls and only 13 have separate toilets, it said.

CAG pointed to a 'dismal state of the police' in terms of the family accommodation sector.
"The deficiency of family accommodation for upper and lower subordinate staff ranged between 84 and 91 per cent. Against requirement of 300 barracks only 207 barracks (69 per cent) were available in the state", the report said.
CAG observed that National Police Commission in 1977 recommended 100 per cent family accommodation for police personnel, but in the state only 69 per cent lower staff has the facility.
It pulled the state government for violation of the J&K Police manual.