Police to get funds to keep informants happy

The finance department has committed to provide funds to the state police for various purposes, from investigations to uniforms in the annual budget.

Various allocations of the Rs518-crore budget for the department in the next fiscal year were discussed in a meeting with home minister RR Patil and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday.

Some long pending demands such as investigation funds to all police stations to strengthen informant networks were addressed.

It was observed that a lack of funds has directly affected the quality of investigation.

The government has also decided to approach the Centre for funds to install CCTV cameras in Nashik as part of the security plan for the Kumbh Mela in 2015, on the lines of the security plan at Uttar Pradesh during the mela.

The finance department will also allocate Rs120 crore for CCTVs in Mumbai and Rs50 crore for Pune.

Pawar also has directed the home department to consider bigger homes for police personnel. “Home minister RR Patil complained that municipal corporations did not allocate FSI 4 to buildings in police colonies despite a government resolution issued in 2009. Pawar directed the home department to avail the FSI,” said a home department official.

Responding to complaints of poor quality of police uniforms, the government decided to credit the amount for the uniform directly to accounts of police personnel.

Personnel can now buy their own uniforms. So far, the government had been procuring the cloth for uniforms from Khadi Gramodyog and various prisons. After the decision on Tuesday, the amount will now be credited to their accounts.

The financial provision for 2,500 police vehicles — as part of first of the three phases — also has been assured by the finance department.