Bhubaneswar: While repeated requests by Odisha Government to waive the payment towards deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces(CPF) is going unheard by the Union Government, now the State Government is facing curtailment receivables from the Government of India, which is being adjusted against these dues.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has written letters to Prime Minister, Minister Home Affairs on various phases for waiver of charges for CPF deployed in Red Corridors.
It has been time and again pointed out that the Maoism, Naxalism and insurgency are critical internal security issues. This is the responsibility of both the Centre and the State Governments.
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are deployed in the insurgency affected districts of few eastern and north-eastern States. The expenditure on this account should not be adjusted against due receivables of the State Government.
However, CAPF dues amounting to Rs.2,913.22 crore till 01.10.2021 has been adjusted against devolution of share taxes of Rs.3,056.02 crore as certified by C&AG for the period from 1996-97 to 2017-18 in 2021-22 (RE) figures of Union Budget, 2022-23.
And the differential amount of Rs.142.80 crore only has been passed on to Odisha.
This unilateral adjustment has adversely affected the fiscal space, thereby limiting the capacity of the State to increase its spending on modernizing State Police Forces, equipping with new warfare equipment and technologies, and creating infrastructure facilities for smooth movement of forces in difficult terrains, officials say.
Members of Parliament have once again raised the issue while requesting Government of India to pitch in and extend support in expenditure incurred in deployment of Central Forces in States affected with insurgency.
Earlier Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to waive Rs.4561.23 Crore towards deployment charges of Central Forces in Odisha.
Chief Minister pointed out that earlier he had requested on 10 June 2015 to reconsider the decision of charging the State Government for deployment of Central Forces.
In response, the then Union Home Minister in his letter on 25 August 2015 had intimated that there had been no change in the extant policy of the Government as approved earlier by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
As such, all States except the few Special Category States, viz., North-East, J & K and HP, are required to bear full charges for deployment of CAPFs in their States.
Further he intimated that due to overall constraint of resources, it was not feasible to exempt the State Government from payment of deployment charges.
In this context, it is reiterated that the problem of Naxal violence has spread to large areas of our country. Left Wing Extremism is a national issue and a grave internal security threat to the integrity of the Nation. This major challenge has to be addressed by both Government of India and the State Government(s) jointly.
Besides, Government of Odisha has been proactive in spending from its scanty resources in creating and deploying security forces even amidst its tight fiscal situation.
Around 15 Battalions of State Police have been raised, specifically to combat Left Wing Extremism. 30,000 posts in the Police Cadre have also been created including armed formations along with Specialized Training Centres and other logistic facilities for their deployment.