PAC redflags lax attitude of DGP in upgrading weapons

Red-tapism appears to have trumped the need for security consciousness and police modernisation despite Maharashtra being a soft target for terrorism. The state legislature's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has pointed out lapses in the purchase of weapons and vehicles for the police.

PAC's report, which was tabled in the legislature by its chairman Gopaldas Agrawal (Congress) on Thursday, noted that the state failed to spend funds for police modernisation received after the 26/11 terror attacks.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report for 2012-13 had earlier pointed out how the funds received from the Centre for "capital outlay on police" to be spent on equipment like vehicles and arms, had to be surrendered as the purchase process was not completed in time.

"The department did not spend the money in the same year despite the Centre approving the purchase scheme on February 27, 2013," the PAC observed.

"The office of the Director General of Police (DGP) was expected to handle the process of making purchases of vehicles and weapons for the police. However, since the process of making purchases was not been completed in the same financial year, the committee feels that the DGP office does not look at the important issue of the state's security seriously," it added.

PAC sought that these issues be prioritised and action be taken against the officials concerned for these procedural delays.