Commando training centre in limbo
Even after seven months of planning, the Home Department is finding it difficult to identify land to set up its Commando Training Centre in Kudremukh.
Reason: the Department is uanble to get clearance from the Forest Department. And if the situation continues to be like this, the department will only end up spending lakhs of rupees on the special officer deputed from the Indian Army (GoI) to train the State’s future commandos.
The State’s need to have its own Commando Training Centre is of high priority as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has announced its importance in the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security held in New Delhi in February this year.
“After the Centre's denial to provide a NSG hub to the State, we initiated our plans to set up our own Commando Training Centre to fight growing naxalism and terrorism nearly one year ago and had requested the GoI to help us in this regard. One army officer of Brigadier rank is already here since October last year to pick up his own team, but entire plan has come to an abrupt halt as the department is not getting clearance from the Forest Department to identify and acquire land to set up the training centre,” said a highly placed source in the Home department.
Brigadier KA Muthanna, who was deputed on October 19, 2009 and was assigned with the task of forming his own team of officers within the ranks of state police force to go ahead with the training process, has been enjoying all perks along with his salary for last 10 months with absolutely no responsibilities. His pay and allowances comes to a whopping Rs 1. 23 lakh per month. Besides, he is entitled to be allotted with a government quarter of his grade or if not available 30 percent of his basic (Rs 70,030).
He also has his supporting staff in his Internal Security Division headquarters along with vehicles, telephones, internet and other requirements. The State government also bears his entire expenditure of TA/DA while on tour and any other expenditure on account of discharge of duties.
DH News Service
