Question : CATEGORISATION OF STATES UNDER MPF SCHEME

(a) the criteria/guidelines for categorization of States under ‘A’ and ‘B’ category for grant of assistance under the Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF) scheme;

(b) whether Chhattisgarh State has been placed in the ‘B’ category under said scheme;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Government has received any request from the State Government of Chhattisgarh for inclusion in A category under the said scheme; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government in this regard along with the other measures being taken for modernisation of State Police Forces?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (c) Under the Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF) Scheme, the States are grouped into two categories, namely Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’ for the purpose of funding both under ‘Non-Plan’ and ‘Plan’. Category ‘A’ States, namely, J&K and 8 North Eastern States including Sikkim, are eligible to receive financial assistance on 90:10 Centre: State sharing basis. The remaining States are in Category ‘B’ and are eligible for financial assistance on 60:40 Centre: State sharing basis. Accordingly, the State of Chhattisgarh falls under Category ‘B’ under the said Scheme.

(d)& (e) The proposal of the Government of Chhattisgarh to include the State in Category ‘A’ for funding on 90:10 Centre: State sharing basis has been considered and the Chhattisgarh Government has been intimated that there is no proposal to change the funding pattern on MPF Scheme. The focus of Modernisation of Police Force (MPF) scheme is to strengthen the police infrastructure. Some of the major items of police infrastructure covered under the scheme are police building, police housing under Plan and mobility, weapons, equipment for training, computerization, forensic science and Mega City Policing (MCP) under Non-Plan. The Plan component under MPF Scheme was started only in 2013-14. No fund has been provided under Plan component of MPF Scheme during 2015-16. The Scheme stands transferred to the States. Consequently, there will be no Central Funding of construction activities of police building and police housing for State Police Forces under MPF Scheme. However, there is a non-plan allocation of Rs. 595 crore under BE 2015-16 for mobility, equipment, weapons, etc for State Police under MPF Scheme. Police and Public Order fall under the category of subjects within the domain of the State as per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Although the Central Government has been supple- menting the State Governments through the aforementioned Scheme, the primary responsibility for modernizing the Police Force and maintaining law and order in the respective States lies with the State Government.