“Due to the outbreak of the infectious disease of Covid-19, a complete lockdown was imposed from March 20, 2020 and many restrictions were imposed. Therefore, in the financial years 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, payments for horse feed, medicines, footwear, cleaners, training, stables, purchase of horses, vaccinations and incidental expenses were pending as it was not possible to pass them,” said a police officer.
Ex-post facto approval for mounted police unit expenditure
The payments of the Mounted Police Unit were submitted to the accounts and grant offices through the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Armed Police Marol, Mumbai. Out of that, the total bills of ₹54.83 lakh for purchase of horses, saddlery materials, horse feed, stable cleaning workers, cleaning materials and horse medicines and vaccinations has been approved. The remaining ₹23.41 lakh was pending.
The issue of ex post facto approval for spending funds for the Mounted Police Unit was under the consideration of the Government. “The payment approval of ₹23.41 lakh is now granted to the unit working under the authority of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Armed Police, Marol,” said the officer.
Currently there are four horses with the Mounted Police Unit. Earlier, when the mounted unit was started in 2020, 13 horses were purchased by the department. However, in the last three years, four horses died and one was sent to the animal hospital after falling sick. Later, four of the remaining eight horses were sent to the police academy in Nashik.
About Post Author
