Approval granted for procurement of 38 tactical intervention vehicles for convoy and RoP protection

Jammu, Dec 14: The government Thursday accorded post facto sanction to the procurement of 38 Tactical Intervention Vehicles, in favour of J&K Director General of Police (DGP), for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed in J&K.

The procurement of these vehicles for an amount of Rs 17.77 Cr, at the rate of Rs 46.76 lakh per vehicle, under “Convoy and Road Opening Party (RoP) Protection” Security Related Expenditure (SRE) was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for CRPF deployed in J&K, vide its sanction letter No 1712/4/2019-K. II(i) dated March 12, 2020.

J&K Home department has also accorded approval to the release of funds to the tune of Rs 4.67 crores out of funds approved under Budget estimates (BE) 2023-24. Sanction has been granted under activity “Convoy and RoP Protection” activity No HOMSS2027700277, Detailed Head 115-Works, Sub-Head 0740-Internal Security related to Major Head 4055-Capital Outlay on Police,” with the authorization to liquidate the liability on account of procurement of these 38 Tactical Intervention Vehicles.

Sanction was made with the approval of the Chief Secretary, J&K and concurrence of the Finance Department conveyed vide UO No FD-BDGT0D-2/7/2021-03-FD-Part (2)-(245143) dated November 21, 2023. However, it has been specified that the post facto sanction will be subject to certain terms and conditions.

They make it mandatory that the purchase has been made after ascertaining reasonability of rates and at most economical prices. Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer (FA/CAO), PHQ shall vouchsafe the availability of funds for affecting the purchase. The purchase has been made after observing all codal formalities and due procedure has been followed by PHQ as envisaged in General Financial Rules (GFR)-2017.

The procurement shall be made as per the terms and conditions of MHA sanction.

In this connection, the PHQ has been advised that all such vehicles procured for J&K Police and CRPF deployed in J&K, should be registered under J&K address.

“PHQ shall check on the recent procurements in consultation with the GST Commissioner and confirm whether the GST component has been remitted to UT of J&K as SGST or IGST,” it was directed.

Notably, on August 4, 2022, the then Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had flagged off a fleet of bullet-resistant Marksman Tactical Intervention Light Motor Vehicles at Armed Police Complex, Humhama,

Srinagar. He had stated that these vehicles with high safety requirements were to be deployed with the CRPF for special duties. “A large number of vehicles have arrived and more will follow,” he had said.

The vehicles, having a RunFlat tyre system with Pan Tilt zoom cameras, aimed at counter insurgency operations and encounters.