Centre spends whopping Rs 16000 Cr on J&K’s Security Expenditure; Relief, Rehab of KPs since 1989: MHA Report
‘SRE scheme introduced in 1989-90, it provides 90 per cent, 100 percent reimbursements under two heads’
Srinagar: An official report of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Monday revealed that a whopping amount of RS 16000 Crore has been released by the Centre to Jammu and Kashmir under Security Related Expenditure of (police) and Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Relief and Rehabilitation.
The annual report of the MHA for year 2022-23, a copy of which is with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), reads that to support the Government of UT of J&K in its initiatives, the Central Government has been making available Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) as and when necessary, has been helping to strengthen the J&K Police.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs reimburses the expenditure incurred by the UT of J&K on a variety of security related measures. These include expenditure on carriage of Constabulary, material supplies, rent of accommodation, honorarium to Special Police Officers (SPOs ), Civic Action Programmes, air-lift charges, raising cost of India Reserve Battalions, transport, boarding and lodging, alternate accommodation for security forces etc,” the report states. “The total amount reimbursed from 1989 till December 31, 2022 to the UT of J&K under Security Related Expenditure (Police) is Rs 10528.72 crore and Security Related Expenditure (Relief and Rehabilitation) [SRE- (R&R)] is 5348.68 crore.”
The MHA report further stated that during the current financial year i.e. 2022-23, a sum of Rs 308.98 crore has been reimbursed to J&K Government under SRE (P) and Rs 198.62 crore has been reimbursed to J&K Government under SRE (Relief and Rehabilitation) till December 31, 2022.
The report reads that during the Financial year 2022- 23 (till December 31, 2022), a sum of Rs 2.51 crore has been released under Security Related Expenditure (Security Environment) Scheme.
The report said that in view of the “serious militancy” in J&K, the Government of J&K has to incur more expenditure for maintaining peace and tranquillity. “For this purpose, a separate Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme in J&K was introduced in 1989-90. It provides for 90% and 100% reimbursement of expenditure respectively under: SRE (Police) for supporting the logistical requirements of the police force of J&K in order to combat militancy in the erstwhile State of J&K and (b) SRE Relief & Rehabilitation for supporting the relief and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri migrants who have been uprooted from the valley during the militancy period besides other relief rehabilitation measures