By Y.S. RANA ,CHANDIGARH—APRIL 16–Himachal government has requested the central government to sanction one marine commando unit in the state.While speaking in chief ministers’ conference on internal security On Monday, Himachal Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Central Government should provide funds for raising marine commando unit keeping in view the security aspect of the large hydel projects, water bodies and rivers in the state.
Prof Dhumal stated that Himachal would provide four companies of India Reserve Battalions for deployment for strategic securtity duties in national capital despite of severe manpower constraints and demanded the union govt to sanction two additional India Reserve Batallion meet various exigencies.
He pleaded the Union Government for release Rs 32.97 crore rupees central share for purpose of raising 5 th and 6 th India Reserve Battalion in the state and added that commando training has been imparted to men and women of two companies of IRB.
Pointing to the security concerns Chief Minister requested the central government for construction of strategic world class air field on the Indian side of Tibet border and also pleaded for construction of state of the art communication , construction of Bhanuppli-Bilaspur-Mandi -Kullu-Manali-Leh -Ladakh railway line in view of the increased Chinese threat.
He also demanded to sanction Rs 35 crore for strengthening training infrastructural and other facilities for maintaining high standard of performance and preparedness of the police personnel and stated that 13th Finance Commission has not allocated any funds for this purpose to the state. modernization of police forces scheme. He told that union govt has unilaterally reduced the grant for state from Rs 10 crore per annum to Rs 5.8 crore and grants given to the state under this scheme has been decreasing over the years .He also pleaded change in the funding pattern from present 75% to 100% on the pattern of jammu and kashmir and north eastern states .
Prof Dhumal said that a Tibetan Refugee Unit has been set up in state intelligence department at shimla with a tertiary cell at Dharmshala in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs ( MHA) and MEA. The central government has not yet reimbursed the entire expenditure incurred on the unit, he added.
He demanded from the Centre to introduce regular helicopter services on subsized basis on the pattern of north eastern states particularly for tribal areas during winters which were cut off from mainland due to heavy snow fall and pleaded for formation of one battalion of National Disaster Response Force in the state.