CBI is overburdened: Minister

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh, Saturday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was overburdened due to the large number of vacant posts.

"The CBI is facing a number of problems, including poor infrastructure, which will be taken up one by one," Singh, who is the minister of state for personnel, public grievances and pensions, told the media after visiting the CBI headquarters here.

The minister said he had a formal meeting with CBI officials who briefed him about vacant posts, delayed infrastructure projects and financial liabilities of the agency.

Through a power point presentation, the CBI officials apprised Singh about the functioning of the agency, which has 580 vacant posts and Rs.47 crore outstanding financial liability.

The other issues brought to Singh's notice were the capacity enhancement of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, upgradation of CBI Training Academy as a centre of excellence and training imparted to foreign police officers and investigators at the academy.

CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said it was the maiden visit of the minister to the agency's headquarters. "He (Singh) was briefed about the basic functioning and structure of the agency," Sinha said.

Singh, who is also the minister of state for science and technology and earth sciences, said the problems faced by the CBI would be tackled in "conventional procedure".