Budget cut results in 21 % houses for paramilitary

NEW DELHIL Only 21 per cent of sanctioned housing projects were completed in the last fiscal for paramilitary personnel due to "low allocation" in the Budget.

During the last fiscal, government had planned 4,240 residential buildings for central armed police forces (CAPFs), elite commando units of NSG and Assam Rifles but because of poor fund allocation, only 898 could be completed.

The CAPFs, Assam Rifles and NSG are backbone of internal security which are pressed into service in anti-Naxal, anti-terror and anti-insurgency operations across the country in addition to law and order duties in states working in difficult circumstances away from their families.

Missed targets of housing for paramilitary personnel by the Home Ministry have been red flagged by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs which has expressed concern over poor funding in Budget Estimates for such humanitarian projects.

"The Committee notes that the fund allocation for residential buildings for CAPFs, NSG, Assam Rifles and Delhi Police in Budget Estimates 2016-17 is very low compared to what was projected by the Ministry," it said.

Home Ministry has also admitted that poor funding for housing projects by the Finance Ministry would adversely affect the infrastructure projects of the paramilitary and further reduce housing satisfaction level, the report said.

The Home Ministry said funds allocated under Head 'Residential Building Plan' for paramilitary for 2016-17 is Rs 916.53 crore as against the projected amount of Rs 1477.33 crore which will adversely affect infrastructure projects.

Raising concerns, the ministry said, the shortage of funds may also affect the future raising plan as the infrastructure for the already raised battalions will have to be completed before raising new battalions and utilising them effectively.

It said the government in 2013 had approved construction of 21655 houses and 49 barracks which are under implementation.