BHUBANESWAR: Even as the state government’s sub-par spending remains a concern, a latest review of expenditure by major police organisations under Home department shows similar trends of laboured expenditure.
Data showed that Police, Jail Organization and Fire Services directorate have managed a spending of just about 36.359 per cent of their programme expenditure on various schemes. By February 12, out of Rs 1,946.4 crore, the police organisations spent just Rs 712 crore, a paltry 36.5 per cent.
The expenditure was reviewed under state sponsored schemes (SSS), central sector schemes (CS) and centrally sponsored schemes during financial year 2025-26.
Details of a review accessed by this paper revealed that expenditure under Infrastructure Projects stood at Rs 514.25 crore against the revised estimate (RE) of Rs 1,276.77 crore, a utilisation of 40.28 per cent. Spending under Other Schemes was slower at 29.56 per cent, with Rs 197.99 crore spent out of Rs 669.71 crore.
Among the organisations, the Fire Service Organisation recorded the highest utilisation levels. It spent Rs 94.63 crore out of Rs 122.55 crore, a healthy 77.22 per cent of its allocation on infrastructure projects. It logged a 68.14 per cent of its overall outlay (Rs 96.24 crore out of Rs 141.23 crore), indicating a robust progress in capital works and related activities.
The Police department which accounts for the largest share of the budget with a total RE of Rs 852.57 crore, spent just Rs 299.38 crore, managing a sub-par 35.12 per cent of its allocation. Its infrastructure spending stood at 48.58 per cent but expenditure under Other Schemes was lower at 24.64 per cent, pulling down the overall spending pace.
The Prision organisation recorded the slowest utilisation. It spent just 23.10 per cent of its infrastructure funds and a mere 2.40 per cent under Other Schemes. Overall spending stood at 22.58 per cent of its `249.26 crore outlay.
The Others agencies of the police showed rather moderate progress, with 37.01 per cent of total funds utilised.
With over a third of the fiscal completed, the figures indicated low spending patterns, with Fire Services acting swiftly while police and jail wings in a position to accelerate expenditure.
In a recent meeting, additional chief secretary of the Home department Hemant Sharma expressed concern over the pace of expenditure achieved and asked the three departments to take appropriate steps to improve the pace of expenditure during the last quarter of financial year 2025-26.
The additional chief secretary also directed the police, prisons and fire services to ensure full utilisation of budgeted funds and to meet the expenditure target assigned to the Home department.