Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 05 2010:
Even though Manipur raised the Village Defense Forces (VDF) with the hope of getting funds under Centre sponsored Security Related Expenditure Scheme to the insurgency affected states, efforts to get any assistance from Union ministry of home affairs has not materialized.
Official source Tuesday said that state home department's effort to get any assistance from MHA has not materialized as yet.
Earlier information from MHA indicated that the ministry may not reimburse the whole amount, the source added.
State home department is engaging VDF personnel to supplement the police force.
These personnel are being paid Rs 3000 per month with an additional ration money of 570 .
At present recruitment of 6200 personnel is underway.
As per the assessment of the state finance department, government would be spending Rs 6,30,00,000 annually.
Inability to come to take a clear-cut decision on nomenclature- Special Police Officers (SPOs) or Village Defense Force (VDF) is believed to be the reason behind the non reimbursement of funds from the Centre.
For the SPOs the appointing authority is the deputy commissioner/district magistrate while deployment of Village Defense Force is done by the Police Department.
Under MHA's Security Related Expenditure reimbursement is allowed for Village Defense Committee/Force subject to approval of MHA on quantum to be deployed in each state.
State government also needs to pursue the MHA more vigorously for reimbursement as Manipur government is determined to increase the honorarium rate to Rs 5000 per month from February if MHA gives the green signal.
Considering the bulk of policemen recruited in the last around five years not adequate, state government recruited 2350 Special Police Officers (SPOs) to make up the shortage manpower in 45 police stations across the insurgency infested four valley districts.
Later, government decided to engage VDF in the police stations in hill districts apart from increasing the strength of VDF attached to the police stations in valley area.
Cabinet of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) with the chief minister, O Ibobi Sing in the chair approved to increase the total strength of VDF to 10050 by recruiting another 1500 more
personnel.
Above the 8550 VDFs including ongoing recruitment of 6200, government has decided to recruit another 1500 additional personnel on December 24 last year.
The SPF government approved recruitment of the additional personnel even though state finance department expressed apprehension about meeting the expenditure from the state's own resources as it will affect the state fiscal reform target.
The approval of the Cabinet was based on the police department's proposal of requirement of more personnel as the present strength is inadequate to assist the work of district police.