Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 9: Ten days after director general of police (DGP) Sanjeev Marik criticised the Union government for not releasing grants to the state for modernisation of the police force, Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan said it was unfortunate that such a political statement was being made by a government officer.
“I heard the recent criticism of the Orissa DGP. it is not correct on the part of an all-India service officer to give such a statement. It also smacks of political alignment,” Pradhan said here Saturday.
The ruling party in the state has been engaging IAS and IPS officers in political activities, the Union minister alleged and said the officers should keep in mind that they are employees of the Centre.
The Centre has accepted the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission of giving 42 per cent of the share of central revenue to states, with the aim of strengthening states financially. Therefore, the states would use these resources for whatever schemes they deem fit, including modernisation of police forces, he said.
“Stopping of funds for police modernisation will certainly hit the police force. The Centre should review its decision. The state earlier used to get `127 crore per annum from different heads for development of the police force,” Marik had said after a meeting presided over by Chief Secretary GC Pati April 29.
The Centre has stopped providing funds under eight schemes, which includes modernization of police forces, National e-Governance Plan, Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA), the National Mission on Food Processing and Tourist Infrastructure.