The Uttarakhand Government owes Rs 113 crore to the Central government on account of deployment of paramilitary forces in the state for discharging election and disaster-related duties.
Since its inception, the state has witnessed three Assembly elections, three general elections and was also hit by floods and several disasters for which Central forces were requisitioned to tackle the law and order situation and conduct rescue work.
“All these efforts by the paramilitary forces has led to accumulation of a huge budget liability accruing from security-related expenses over the last several years,” said an official.
According to the formula worked out of sharing of budget in the ratio of 90:10, with the state bearing the 10 per cent of the expenses, Uttarakhand’s liabilities have increased over the years. Though the state is being charged only 10 per cent of the salaries and other expenses of the paramilitary forces deployed on it’s requisition, it seems too much for the state.
Instead of paying the dues, the state usually resorts to writing to the Centre to waive a part of its accumulated dues in lieu of the contribution made by its police force, who too are sent to other states to perform security duties.
“In the aftermath of the 2013 disaster, efforts were made to ask the Central government to write off the dues. The process is long drawn and the Centre is not keen to take it up lest other states too demand the same,” said the officer in the Department of Home.
Uttarakhand owes nearly 115 crore to center in debts
