Patna, April 28: For the first time, the state government has made provisions to meet the contingent expenses at police stations across the state.
Bihar director-general of police (DGP) Neel Mani on Thursday released Rs 1.14 crore for police stations under the contingency head.
“Now, policemen posted at police stations will not depend on other resources to meet contingent expenses incurred on purchasing stationery items, production of witnesses at courts and disposing unclaimed bodies,” he said, adding that the money is meant for meeting such urgent expenditure which cannot be budgeted.
The DGP said earlier there was no provision for meeting the expenses under the contingency head. The superintendents of police (SPs) have now been provided sufficient funds for the purpose. “Once the first instalment is exhausted, the station house officers can approach their bosses for the second instalment,” he added.
The DGP said that it would be a revolving fund (once exhausted, the funds will be replenished) and the SPs have been entrusted with the task of maintaining it properly. A detailed report of the fund expenditure will also be submitted to the authorities.
“The fund is aimed at making the cops self-reliant to meet various types of expenses incurred while posted at police stations,” he added.
While the police stations located in urban areas will get Rs 25,000, those located in Naxalite-hit districts would be entitled to Rs 15,000 each. Other police stations would be given Rs 10,000 each. All 809 police stations in the state would get benefits under the news scheme. The fund is meant for 372 Naxalite-hit police stations, 39 government railway police stations and one scheduled caste and scheduled tribe police station with the criminal investigation department respectively, the DGP said.
The Madhya Pradesh police are also learnt to have adopted the Bihar model. “We have come to know that the Madhya Pradesh government is also contemplating to make provisions for contingency funds for its police force,” a senior IPS officer posted at the state police headquarters said.
With contingency fund allocated to the police stations, the cops would not demand blank papers, carbons and other stationery items from the complainants. “It sounds embarrassing when the munshi (literate constable) demands blank papers and carbon from the complainants visiting the police stations to lodge their complaints,” a police officer said.
The police headquarters has also allocated Rs 5 lakh each for the Maoist-affected districts covered under the security related expenditure scheme of the Union government. The money would be spent on mobility of the security force, fortification of police stations, community policing etc.
At present, 16 districts of the state are covered under the SRE scheme. The SPs have been asked to set up portable huts for quick mobility of the police force. The money would also be spent on community policing, a new concept introduced by the state government to win over the confidence of the people living in Maoist-affected areas.
Earlier, the SPs were provided Rs 5,000 by the state police headquarters to meet contingent expenses. The amount was, however, too meagre to meet any kind of cost, a police officer said.
Crisis fund
Total Rs 1.14 crore sanctioned for police stations to meet contingent expenses
Rs 25000 for each urban police station
Rs 15000 for each police station in Naxalite-hit areas
Rs 10000 each for other police stations
There are 809 notified police stations in Bihar
372 police stations have been identified as Naxalite-hit
There are 39 Government Railway Police stations in Bihar
The SC/ST police station in Patna is also entitled for contingency fund
