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| Verbal clash between Sagar, PDP legislator in LC | | |
KUNAL SHRIVATSA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 17 : Heated exchange of words were witnessed between Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Murtaza Ahmad Khan, who sought to know the status of Additional Welfare Fund to the tune of over Rs 75 crore, and Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar in the Upper House during Question Hour.
Cutting across party lines, several legislators in the Legislative Council (LC) today expressed concerns over the lack of a constitutional regulatory body to monitor the capital of Police Welfare Fund.
While replying to a query of PDP MLC, Sagar was constantly interrupted by Murtaza Khan and other members including Mohammad Rashid Qureshi of National Conference as they alleged that the funds being accumulated after deducting the salaries of police personnel purportedly for their welfare are being diverted to organise police melas in the state, to which the Minister raised objections.
Murtaza Khan in a supplementary to the question said that those who have retired from police services had also contributed in the said fund but as far as provision of benefits to them so far, the picture is not clear as there is clear ambiguity in government's reply.
"Retired police personnel are not getting the benefit of the scheme and funds are being diverted for executing other purposes", said Murtaza Khan adding that if they were given any assistance out of welfare fund as claimed by the Minister, then he must inform the House about status of such cases.
He also challenged the authenticity of the Committee of officers headed by Director General of Police (DGP), which regulate the funds.
"As per official figures, an amount of Rs 75,12,50,300 crore have been deducted from the police personnel as their contribution for the last five years (2005 to ending 2009) but is not understandable that under what capacity DGP has been authorized to regulate the funds and head the committee. It is violation of the constitutional provisions", Khan said.
Responding to this, Ali Mohammad Sagar said that being head of the police department, who else will regulate the fund? "Jawans and officers have faith in their officers and they are the right people to look after the welfare of their jawans", Sagar said
Besides some of the other legislators, Murtaza Khan, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the Minister's response and demanded that a law should be enacted through state legislature in the current session for making a statutory body to regulate the funds.
They also sought discussion over the matter from Chair saying that it is a serious issue which needs to be deliberated upon.
Earlier in the beginning of his reply, Sagar admitted that there is no statutory provision for the deduction from the salaries of the police personnel towards the Additional Welfare Fund.
"However as police personnel are exposed to high risk in the performance of their duties, an additional welfare fund was instituted in 1985 to provide immediate relief at the rate of 6 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased police personnel who die while in active service", Minister said.
About the benefits of the scheme, Minister told the house that retired police personnel who are in distress are granted relief out of the retired policemen welfare fund. "The assistance provided under the fund. The assistance provided under the fund is generally given as resettlement of retired policeman, financial assistance of disabled policemen and expenses incurred on medical treatment
This was again opposed by the PDP MLC, who said that government has failed to come up with proper figures and facts before the house as far as the financial or other assistance to retired police officials is concerned.
Minister said that the total fund position under the various welfare schemes as on ending January 2010 is Rs 62,38,11,273.
Sagar further informed the House that a total of Rs 41,90,30000 has been spent on account of special welfare relief out of Contributory Police Welfare Fund in favour of the next of kins of 705 deceased police personnel, who expired while in service from 2005 to ending 2009.
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