First time, budget allocation for MHA exceeds 1 lakh crore

The Union Home Ministry has been allocated Rs 103,927 crore -- the highest so far -- in the Interim Budget 2019 presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday, which is Rs 10,477 crore more than the last budget.

As per the revised estimate for 2018-19, the Home Ministry expenditure has been pegged at Rs 99,034 crore, while the budget estimate for FY'19 was Rs 93,450 crore. In 2017-18, the actual expenditure of the Ministry stood at Rs 87,547 crore.

"For the first time, the allocation for the Home Ministry in the budget has exceeded Rs 1 lakh crore," a Home Ministry statement said.

Out of the Ministry's budget, the government proposes to spend Rs 3,378 crore for modernisation of police force, which was Rs 3,192 crore in the revised estimate for 2018-19.

The budget allocation for police infrastructure is Rs 5,117 crore -- slightly higher than Rs 4,836 crore in 2018-19 budget estimate. For the border infrastructure and management scheme, the government has decided to allocate Rs 2,000 crore -- lower from Rs 2,001 crore in the revised estimate for FY'19.

For the relief and rehabilitation of migrants and repatriates, there is a provision of Rs 825 crore in the allocation for the Ministry, which was Rs 771 crore in 2018-19 revised estimate.

For pension and other benefits to freedom fighters, the Ministry has been granted an allocation of Rs 953 crore, which was Rs 858 crore in 2018-19 revised estimate. For protection and empowerment of women, an amount of Rs 1,330 crore has been proposed to be spent which was Rs 1,156 crore in 2018-19 revised estimate.

Apart from these, Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated for assistance to states from the National Disaster Response Force, which is equal to what was allocated in the 2018-19 revised estimate budget.

An amount of Rs 10,344 crore has been proposed to be spent on grant-in-aid for States Disaster Response Fund which was Rs 9,852 crore in 2018-19 revised estimate.

--IANS

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