GUWAHATI, March 17 ? The police department is suffering heavy losses over the years due to its failure to realise the money due from the Central government and private organisations for deployment of police personnel. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its report for the year ending March, 2001, said that scrutiny of the records of the Office of the Director General of Police in December, 2000, revealed that against Rs 734.55 lakh spent as a cost of deployment of police guards between April, 1981 and March, 2000 in seven departments and organisations only Rs 206 lakh was received by the department. The outstanding amounts include Rs 427.13 lakh from the Airports Authority of India, Rs 30.92 lakh from the All India Radio, Rs 30.11 lakh from the Posts and Telegraph, Rs. 22.18 lakh from the Indian Oil Corporation, Rs 7.99 lakh from the Reserve Bank of India Rs 6.65 lakh from the Tata Tea Limited and Rs 2.97 lakh from the Shree Automobile.
The CAG, in its report, said that the Tata Tea refused to pay the amount spent on deployment of police guards as there was no request for deployment of guards from their end. The report pointed out that the government has not yet framed adequate deterrent measures like mandatory levy of penalty or interest for the delay in payment. The report said that the scrutiny of the records of the offices of the superintendents of police of Dibrugarh and Cachar districts revealed that assessment of cost in respect of permanent guards deployed at the premises of the Mohanbari and Kumbhirgram airports and Silchar branch of the United Bank of India during the period from 1996-97 to 1999-2000 was made, which resulted in the loss of receipts amounting to Rs. 65.11 lakh.
The CAG revealed that the pay of the police force was revised with effect from January 1, 1996. However, during test check of the offices of the superintendents of police of eight districts ? Guwahati city, Cachar, Dibrugarh, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Sonitpur and Sivasagar revealed that the cost of police guards was claimed at the pre-revised ratios of pay and allowances, which resulted in loss of revenue amounting to Rs 57.79 lakh. The report pointed out that in some cases police protection is given to individuals on the basis of court orders but generally directions regarding period of protection and mode of collection are not given in the orders. Scrutiny of the records of the Additional Director General of Police (Special Branch) revealed that in five cases during the period from September, 1997 to March 2000, the orders passed by the High Court were silent on the recovery of cost and the period of protection to be given. In such cases the cost of police protection went up to Rs 8.62 lakh and the Department did not approach the High Court for getting necessary orders for the collection of the police guards provided.
The CAG report said that under the provisions of the police manual, travelling allowances including daily allowance of the police personnel when proceeding to or returning from the disturbed areas is to be borne by the beneficiary department. During scrutiny of the records of the Office of the Superintendent of Police, Guwahati City, reveded that police escorts were provided to the Reserve Bank of India, Guwahati during the period from 1994 to 1998 and the TA bills of the police escort parties were paid by the Department on 59 occasions amounting to Rs 4.93 lakh. But the statement of cost was submitted in April, 1999 after lapse of periods ranging from one to five years and the money was not reimbursed up to March, 2001, the CAG report said.