OREANDA-NEWS. The Ministry of Home Affairs has enhanced financial powers in respect of items such as “Major and Minor Works, Special Repairs, Land Acquisition and Hiring of Buildings/Accommodation” to the Directors General of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Directors of Intelligence Agencies.

The financial powers have been doubled from Rupees Five Crores to Rs. Ten Crores in respect of Major Works that are to be executed by CPWD and Public Works Organisations. The limit for Major Departmental Works undertaken by Organisations having Engineering Wing has been raised from Rs.60 lakhs to Rs.One Crore and from Rs. 10 Lakhs to Rs.15 Lakhs for Organisations without Engineering Wing.

Limits for Minor Works (petty works and repairs) for Residential Buildings has been hiked from Rs.15 Lakhs to Rs.25 Lakhs and for non-Residential Buildings from Rs.30 Lakhs to Rs.50 lakhs. Financial powers for Land Acquisition has also been raised from Rs.20 Lakhs to Rs.34 Lakhs in each case with a provision that the proposed Land Acquisition should be through State Government only.

Financial Powers have also been substantially raised in respect of Special Repairs and Hiring of Buildings/Accommodation.

The CAPFs are Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard and Sashastra Seema Bal, besides the orders are applicable to the Intelligence Bureau and the National Intelligence Agency.

Modernization and upgradation of the CAPFs is a priority of the Government. Earlier in October, with a view to streamline and expedite processes in this regard, the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh had more than doubled the delegation of financial powers to CAPFs for procurement of Machinery & Equipment and Arms & Ammunition to Rs. 20 crores.

The Modernization Plan II of CAPFs has a total projected cost of Rs.11,009 crores till March 2017.