Funding for police modernisation programme continues: Home Minister Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: Non-plan funding to states for police modernisation programme would continue, even though the central share of funding the scheme has stopped after implementation of the 14th Finance Commission ecommendations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.

The 90:10 funding pattern would continue for category-A states such as Jammu and Kashmir and eight in the Northeast, the Minister said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.

"After the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission, the central funding has been stopped. However, non-plan funding is continuing.

"We want the states to continue with the modernisation programme as the states' share of the central tax has increased to 42 per cent after the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission," he said.

Under the scheme, states, other than those in category-A, are grouped under category B which get funding from the Centre in the ratio of 60:40 with 60 per cent being the central share.

Replying to a related question, Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said there was no proposal to bring the 10 Maoist-affected states under the 90:10 funding pattern.

He said the Centre was already providing adequate support to states like Chattisgarh and other such states, providing them six helicopters, sanctioning 200 mobile towers and latest technologies to eliminate the Maoist threat.