In a significant move to divest the lieutenant Governor (lG) of Delhi of the financial powers regarding the Delhi Police, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has entrusted the Delhi Police Commissioner with additional powers for purchase of arms and ammunition, hiring DTC buses for the movement of police personnel, authorising non-entitled officials to travel by air for operational needs, and purchase of miscellaneous items required in day-to-day functioning. Moreover, the Ministry has kept with itself some of the other powers, earlier vested with the lG.
With the transfer of lG’s power under ‘non-plan expenditure’ to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the later is not required to seek the approval of the lG and Home Department for such expenses. The Delhi Police has been assigned Rs 4,033 crore under the non-plan expenditure in the 2013-14 Budget.
The order no F.No.14011/98/2012-UTP, issued by the MHA, states: “The undersigned is hereby directed to convey that all non-plan schemes borne out of the Budget of MHA shall henceforth be approved by Ministry of Home Affairs (UT) division in consultation with its internal finance division except in the cases and to the extent powers delegated to Police Commissioner, Delhi, with immediate effect.”
Earlier, the Delhi Police Commissioner used to put proposal under non-plan schemes before the Home Department of Delhi for approval and the lG was the sole authority to approve or disapprove the same after clearance from Chief Secretary and Chief Minister. Sources said that the lG has reportedly conveyed his annoyance to the Government.
According to the MHA order, the Ministry has conferred full power to the Delhi Police Commissioner and its UT division for procurement of arms and ammunition from ordinance factory and other sources, hiring of DTC buses for movement of police personnel for law and order duties, purchase of stationary items, purchase of computers, payment to Central Paramilitary Forces for deployment in Delhi, hiring of CCTV cameras, clothing, procurement of stores of propriety nature, fabrication of vehicle bodies including bulletproofing, payment of compensation in motor accident cases, authorising non-entitled official to travel by air for operational needs, expenditure on refreshments served to official guests.
The Delhi Police financial powers related to administrative expenditure has been increased from the existing Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore. The financial powers related to execution of petty works, repairs and day-to-day maintenance has been increased from Rs 1 lakh/year to Rs 5 lakh/year each building
“Any proposal beyond these delegated powers would need the approval of competent authority in the Ministry... While exercising the delegated powers, Delhi Police Commissioner would be required to seek the concurrence of internal financial advisor to be nominated by MHA,” added the Ministry of Home Affairs order.