Tuesday, September 09, 2008

7003 arms allotted for 2008-09 by MHA

By : Thingbaijam Dhamen/IFP

IMPHAL, Sep 7: The Union ministry of home affairs, MHA allotted 7003 arms of different model and bombs along with ammunitions and accessories to the Manipur police for current fiscal year 2008-09 under modernization of police forces even as a total of 1383 arms of different brands along with ammunitions and magazines are in the DG-Pool of the state police department as reserved.

A well placed official source said that these arms and ammunitions were received by the state police department under the government of India funded modernization of the state police forces scheme and the state authorities are also in the process of procuring another huge consignment of these weapons allotted under the same scheme last year.

Under the same scheme a total of 554 vehicles of different make had been allotted to the Manipur Rifles, IRB units and district police as per requirement on priority basis and another 98 numbers of vehicles of different make are being received to meet the current shortage of vehicles.

The state police department is currently facing shortage of 51 percent vehicles for use in maintaining law and order of the state.

Out of the total 1382 arms in the DG Pool as per the source, 1114 are 7.62 mm SLR IAI, 100 are AK-47 rifles, 168 are 5.62 SLR with 2557 magazines of the 7.56 mm SLR, 2310 magazines of AK-47 and 1000 magazine of 5.56 LMG..

Of the total number of ammunitions 36,1,850 rounds are 6.56 CTN, 660011 rounds are cartridge 7.62x39 mm, 43,0,830 rounds are 7.62 mm CTN. Apart from these there are 321003 numbers of 7.62 mm BDR ammunitions, three numbers of .38 special cartridge and 3177 numbers of 51 mm Mortar HE bomb in the DG Pool, the source said.

Further, the state home department has already paid for procurement of 2000 numbers of 7.62 SLR rifles along with 1320 magazines, 54 numbers of equipments of 51 mm mortar E-4, 82,500 rounds of cartridge 7.62 mm ball BDR, 1,70,280 cartridge 7.62 mm CTN, 12828 rounds of 9 mm cartridges, 4944 rounds of 7.62 mm cartridge, 3708 numbers of rifle grenade HE 36, 641 bomb 51 mm MOR ILLG, 1442 bombs 51 mm HE, 221142 MC 9 mm IAI cartridge, 480 number each of carbine MC 9 mm IAI, SQAI insp charge and sling for carbine, 1440 numbers of magazines, 48 numbers of chest for carbine, 12,150 numbers of magazine 2A (SLR Mag), 413820 rounds of 7.62 mm ball BDR, 306 numbers of 5.56 mm excaliber, 54 numbers of projector grenade and 5760 of 9 mm carbine.

The arms and ammunitions are to be procured from the different ordnance factories and the same will be lifted soon as the factories intimated the state authorities, the source added.

Apart from this MHA has also allotted a total of 7003 arms and bombs along with huge quantity of ammunitions of different kinds to the Manipur police department for the year 2008-09, said the source adding that funds for procurement of the allotted arms and ammunitions have also been made available by the state government.

The allotted arms included 72 numbers of 51mm mortar E-1 with CES, 315 LMG 5.56 mm INSAS along with 12060 magazines, 546 numbers of 7.62 mm SLR IAI, 194549 numbers of 5.56 mm CTN, 4070 numbers of 51 mm mortar HE bomb, 500 numbers each of 51 mm mortar illuminating bomb, 51 mm mortar red bomb and 51 mm mortar smoke bomb, 62169 7.62 mm CTN cartridge and 10712 magazines of 7.62 mm SLR.

The state police department has put up a list of the projected arms and ammunitions meant for 4th and 7th IRB personnel to the MHA for sanction, the source said.

The arms projected include 118 of 9 mm pistols (59 each for each battalions), 236 magazines (118 each), 320 SM carbine 9 mm (160 each) with 3840 magazines (1920 each), 1350 (675 each) 7.62 mm SLR IAI with 8100 magazines (4050 each), 36 (18 each) 7.62 mm LMG/INSAS LMG with 864 magazines (432 each), 36 (18 each) 7.62 mm SLR with grenade projector and another 36 (18 each) of 51 mm mortar.

The projected quantity of ammunitions were 8732 (4366 each cartridge of SA 9 mm ball, 222750 (111375 each ) 7.62 mm BDR cartridge, 25992 (12996 each) cartridge of 5.56 mm CTN, 756 (378 each) rifle grenade (SLR) with 7sec detonator, 3296 (1648 each) 7.62 mm ballistic/ND cartridges, 2628 (1314 each) of 51 mm mortar HE bomb, 1224 (612 each) of 51 mm mortar smoke bomb, 576 (288 each) each of 51 mm mortar green, red and mortar para illuminating bombs.

Meanwhile, from April 2007 till date, police department has procured 554 vehicles of different kinds to meet the shortage of vehicles in the state police force units and district police.

However, the police department still have 51 percent shortage of vehicles affecting the mobility of the force adversely, the source observed.

The procured vehicles include five Bolero, 14 NBP Tata 407, 224 motor cycles, 241 BP Gypsy, seven BP Gypsy, two anti-riot vehicles, three ambulance, nine water tanker, four prisoners van and 45 Tata 207 (DI).

Another 98 numbers of vehicles of different make are being received under the scheme for modernization of state police force and are in the pipe line.

The procured vehicles have been distributed in the different units of the Manipur Rifles and district police.

The vehicles includes 30 BP Mahindra Rakshak, 46 NBP Gypsy, NBP Tata 407, two each of ambulance, Tata 1613/TC and motorcycles.

Source: Imphal Free Press

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