Home Secretary’s notice to DGP on violations in walkie-talkie purchase

The letter asks the police chief, why sanction was given for purchase of two types of walkie talkies, supported by different technologies, worth Rs 83 crore, when the two are not compatible with each other.

The IAS official, while pointing out that only one firm had participated in the tender, has asked the state police head whether the single firm has fulfilled all pre-qualification conditions and if the finalisation of the single tender was informed to the government. 

Niranjan Mardi, who had quoted freely from a letter written by the ADGP, Technical Services, further points out that the firm, which was awarded the tender, had not furnished the mandatory dealer possession licence before getting the purchase order. 

“In budget estimation 2017-18, only a sum of Rs 47.56 crore is likely to be allotted under modernisation of police force scheme for the current financial year. While so, how the tender was floated and awarded for a sum of Rs 83.45 crore, which exceeds far more than the amount likely to be allotted,” the home secretary asked.

The two types of walkies talkies, based on APCO II technology and Digital DMR technology are being planned for purchase and they cannot communicate with each other as per the technical expert’s statement, says  the letter. 

The Home Secretary, in his letter, had cited a government order dated February 18, 2016, along with letters of DGP dated August 7, 2017 and ADGP, technical services, dated July 18, this year while seeking the clarification from the head of the state police force. Among other things, the senior IAS official wants to know why the department has not paid the spectrum charges to wireless planning and co-ordination wing in Delhi for APCO project despite the fact that the government had sanctioned Rs 1.61 crore in February 2016.