NEW DELHI: In a major move to finance and mordernise Jammu & Kashmir Police, the Centre has approved a proposal to include the Union Territory (UT) Police’s budget within the grants given to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the lines of Delhi Police. Sources in the government said that the intent of the decision is to bring the J&K Police at par with its counterpart in the National Capital and ensure that more professionalism and people-centric approach are instilled in the force looking after the law and order in the UT. The sources said that for this purpose the Ministry of Finance has sought complete financial and other data from J&K’s Home Department through the MHA for a seamless transition of the police budget from the UT grants to the MHA in the Union budget, which is scheduled to be presented on July 22 in Lok Sabha. This is going to be the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had taken Vote-on-Account earlier in the January-February session of the Parliament ahead of general elections in the country.According to the sources the formalities include ensuring proper inclusion of the balance budget for 2024-25 for adoption in the budget of the MHA on the lines of Delhi Police and putting in place, in coordination with Chief Controller of Accounts (CCA) of the MHA, the mechanism for release of the budget, the delegation of financial powers and expenditure management under various heads for smooth operations of J&K Police starting from the Union budget approval.The sources said the decision of the government will go a long way in strengthening and modernising the police force in J&K, as its budget would go up significantly once the financing system is brought under the MHA.
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