(a) whether the Union Government has decided to equip the Railway Protection Force personnel with State-of-the-art weapons in the next five years as appeared in the Hindustan dated April 23,2005;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the action plan formulated by the Government for the purpose;
(c) the estimated expenditure to be incurred on the said action plan; and
(d) the funds proposed to be spent by the Government on the said action plan during the current year?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI R.VELU )
a) Yes, sir. It is proposed to equip Railway Protection Force with new modern and compact weapons like AK-47 and 5.56 millimetre Indian Small Arms System Rifles, Carbines 9mm and 5.56 milimetre Light Machine Guns
(Indian Small Arms System) by phasing out the old and obsolete weapons like the Bolt Action Rifles, .410†Muskets, 9mm Sten Guns, .455†Revolvers in the next five years.
b) During the year 2004-2005, 1,000 numbers of 5.56 millimetre Indian Small Arms System Rifles and 500 numbers of 9mm Carbines along with accoutrements costing Rs. 3.58 crore have been procured and its supply is under way. For the year 2005-2006, demand for 1,000 numbers of 5.56 millimetre Rifles (Indian Small Arms System), 62 numbers of 5.56 millimetre Light Machine Guns (Indian Small Arms System) and 953 numbers of 9mm Carbines has been placed. An additional 7,000 numbers of AK-47s and 5.56 milimetre (Indian Small Arms System) Rifles as well as 2,000 Carbines are to be inducted. The full induction is likely to be completed within the next 5 years, i.e. by 2009-2010.
c) The estimated expenditure on the said action plan will be Rs. 15.55 Crore approximately.
d) The funds proposed to be spent by the Government on the said action plan during the current financial year 2005-06 is Rs. 4.74 crore approximately.