ISLAMABAD, March 17: Interior Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat on Wednesday told the National Assembly that the federal government had provided over Rs2 billion to the provinces during the last three years for the welfare of police employees , improvement in the law and order situation and the performance of police department.

In a written reply to a question of Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema, the minister said, out of Rs2.067 billion given to the provinces, the central government provided Rs1.73 billion for the maintenance of law and order, Rs47 million for the welfare of police employees, and Rs285 million for the performance of the police department.

Giving a province-wise breakdown, the minister said from the year 2001-2 to 2003-4, the highest amount of Rs759.30 million was given to the Sindh government, followed by Rs703.06 million to Punjab, Rs465.28 million to the NWFP and Rs140.18 million to Balochistan.

He said the federal government released Rs706.06 million to the provinces in the year 2001-2, Rs1.296 billion in 2002-3 and Rs64.92 million in 2003-4. He said matters relating to the police were the responsibility of the provinces and the federal government only extended financial aid for this purpose.