Rourkela cops get swanky Innova Crysta MUVs for patrolling
ROURKELA: Cops in Steel City Rourkela have got an image makeover with induction of swanky Innova Crysta MUVs into the fleet to be used for daily patrol. Only that all the vehicles have been bought with District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund.
On January 19, the Rourkela police got 25 brand new Innova MUVs as police control room (PCR) vans at a cost of Rs 4.65 crore from the Sundargarh DMF. Even as the police have started moving around in the new cars, questions have begun to be raised on the necessity of such expensive vehicles in basic policing and sourcing it from DMF.
As per guidelines, DMF fund is supposed to be spent on high priority areas for welfare of people and areas affected by mining related operations. Health, education, irrigation and women empowerment are areas which are considered priority sectors.
Vehicles for police certainly have not found place in the guidelines meant for DMF fund utilisation. Interestingly, Odisha has been a laggard when it comes to timely utilisation of funds allocated from DMF.
Though it tops the list in collection of funds which stands at about Rs 8,980 crore by end of September 2019, the State's utilisation is about Rs 2,423 crore which is only 28 per cent of the amount allocated. Out of 12, 918 projects sanctioned under DMF, the State has managed to complete 6,224 projects.
Over 2,500 projects are yet to take off. Interestingly, Sundargarh happens to be one of the districts that has made pretty rapid utilisation of the funds. Sources said, Rourkela SP K Shiva Subramani had apparently sought Innova MUVs on the grounds that the high-end vehicles would strengthen patrolling and enable reaching people in distress in quick time.
The vehicles would enhance regulatory actions to minimise road mishaps on highways and remote mining pockets and play effective role in crime control, he had reasoned.
Subsequently at the DMF meeting in November last year, Rs 4.65 crore was approved and following tender, the Rourkela police procured the vehicles. On January 19, DGP Abhay dedicated the new PCR vehicles to the service of the people at a function at the Uditnagar parade ground.
Besides, the rumblings are also being heard within the police, who have termed it wasteful, both cost and operations wise apart from being a burden on the police. The cops, many feel, instead should have focussed on modernisation of police personnel and equipping them well to effectively respond and counter crime or law and order situation.
No senior police officer including SP nor Sundargarh District Collector and DMF Chairman-Cum-Managing-Trustee Nikhil Pawan Kalyan and Sundargarh DMF Chief Executive Officer Rasai Laguri were available for comment.