House committee flags 33% shortage in state police force

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, March 18

The Haryana Vidhan Sabha’s Standing Committee on Law and Order and Security has flagged 33 per cent shortage in the state police force and vacant posts are being cited as a reason for the force not being able to utilise the allocated budget.

It also points out that neither the Jail Department nor the Home Guards Department could utilise allocated funds in the current financial year.

Can impact controlling of law and order

• The committee opined that the shortage could adversely impact controlling of law and order in the state while expressing concern over the underutilisation of the budget allocated to drug trafficking in the last three years
• Against the sanctioned strength of 75,185 police personnel in the state, just 49,808 are working, resulting in a shortfall of 25,378 personnel

The committee also recommended setting up of a Punjab and Haryana High Court Bench at Hisar.

The nine-member committee was formed under Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Ranbir Gangwa with former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda as a member to discuss Budget proposals for law & order and security.

During the oral examination of the Police Department, it came out that for 2022-23, against the revised estimates of Rs 6,047.24 crore, the department could spend Rs 5,498.37 crore. The department attributed the non-utilisation of Rs 548.87 crore to vacant posts in the force.

For 2023-24, the department had demanded Rs 7,258.37 crore, but in Budget estimates, only Rs 6,245.52 crore were proposed.

The committee’s report pointed out that against a sanctioned strength of 67,164 male police personnel from the rank of constable to inspector, there are only 44,755 personnel, a shortfall of 22,409. Similarly, against sanctioned strength of 7,942 women, 5,053 are working resulting in a shortfall of 2,889 women cops.

Against the sanctioned strength of 75,185 police personnel in the state, just 49,808 are working, resulting in a shortfall of 25,378 personnel. It implies 33.8 per cent vacancies in the police force.

The committee opined that the shortage could adversely impact controlling of law and order in the state while expressing concern over the underutilisation of the budget allocated to drug trafficking in the last three years.

During the oral examination of the Jail Department, it was admitted that against the allocation of Rs 429.68 crore, only Rs 375.74 crore could be spent in 2022-23. The department admitted that mobile phone jammers could be installed in only Sonepat and Jhajjar jails as it was an expensive project and couldn’t be taken up in other jails.

The committee observed that out of Rs 79 crore allocated for the Home Guards Department, just Rs 32 crore could be spent. The department told the committee that it couldn’t utilise the amount allocated for purchasing vehicles while admitting an acute shortfall in force.

The committee says that a small state like Sikkim has a separate high court while Goa has a high court Bench. “That is why Punjab and Haryana High Court’s Bench should be considered for Hisar or any other place,” said the panel.