Government clears pending funds for Mumbai Police’s mounted unit
Maharashtra: The state government has approved the pending payment of ₹23.41 lakh to the mounted police unit of Mumbai Police. The outstanding balance related to expenses incurred on the construction of temporary stables, saddlery materials, hoofs, horse ambulance and transportation costs. The dues were pending since the time of Covid-19 outbreak.
“Due to the outbreak of the infectious disease Covid-19, a complete lockdown was imposed and several restrictions were imposed from March 20, 2020. Therefore, payment of horse feed, medicines, shoes, sweepers, training, stables, purchase of horses, vaccination and incidental expenses in the financial years 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 was pending as it was not possible to pass it. Them,” said a police officer.
Post-facto approval for Mounted Police Unit expenditure
The payments of the Mounted Police Unit were deposited in the Accounts and Grants Offices through the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Armed Police Marol, Mumbai. Out of that, a total bill of ₹54.83 lakh has been approved for the purchase of horses, saddlery material, horse feed, stable cleaning staff, cleaning material and horse medicines and vaccination. The remaining ₹23.41 lakh was outstanding.
The matter of post-facto approval for spending funds for the Mounted Police Unit was under consideration in the government. “Now, approval has been given for payment of ₹23.41 lakh to the unit working under the authority of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Armed Police, MAROL,” the official said.
At present the mounted police unit has four horses. Earlier, when the cavalry unit was started in 2020, 13 horses were purchased by the department. However, over the past three years, four horses died and one was sent to a veterinary hospital after falling ill. Later, four of the remaining eight horses were sent to the Police Academy in Nashik.
