Terror funds spent on buildings

New Delhi: Amid reports that some states had diverted funds meant for strengthening the anti-terror apparatus for other purposes, including renovating offices of senior police officers, the Modi government is planning a specialised audit to check such misuse in future.

Sources said that funds released under the police modernisation scheme to the states for strengthening of intelligence bra-nches, buying better security equipment, arms and communication units as well as hi-tech surveillance gadgets for anti-subversive activities was getting diverted for other purposes.

In some cases, funds have been used for other welfare schemes of the states or construction of buildings, renovating offices or buying vehicles.

Such instances have been reported in the past from states like Jhark-hand, Jammu and Kas-hmir, Assam, Nagaland, Punjab and Maharashtra.

“In Jharkhand, there have been instances where funds for anti-Naxal operations have been used for renovating offices of senior police officers. Then, there is the problem of under-utilisation of funds. The Centre is keen that states should build enough capacity to meet new security challenges and this is a step forward in that direction only,” a senior government functionary said.

The problem, sources added, becomes even mo-re serious due to the misuse of “source money” as these funds at the disposal of the intelligence wings of states are not audited.

Even though, at present, the CAG audits police funding every quarter in each state, but they are technically not fully equipped for such a “specialised audit review.”

The Centre is now keen on putting in place a new mechanism.

However, senior officials are quick to add that the Centre does not intend to encroach on the states’ autonomy and that the audit will help advise the states on better fiscal management and utilisation of finances for security purposes.