MHA gets Rs 1.03 lakh; emphasis on border infrastructure, police modernisation

For the first time, budgetary provisions for the Home Ministry has crossed the Rs 1-lakh crore mark and is pegged at over Rs 1,03,000 crore for the next fiscal, with special emphasis on improving border infrastructure of police forces.

The ministry has got Rs 1,03,927 crore for 2019-20 which is 4.9 per cent more than Rs 99.034 crore given in 2018-19, according to the budget papers.

The Delhi Police, which maintains law and order in the national capital, has been allocated Rs 7,496.91 crore while Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for the development of border infrastructure, amidst tension along the Indo-Pak and Sino-Indian borders.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is engaged in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, and often deployed for internal security duties, has been allocated Rs 23,742.04 crore for 2019-20, in comparison to Rs 22,646.63 crore given in 2018-19.

The Border Security Force, which guards the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, has been allocated Rs 19,647.59 crore for the next fiscal, in comparison to Rs 18,585.96 crore given in 2018-19.

The total allocation to Central Armed Police Forces, including CRPF, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Assam Rifles and National Security Guard is Rs 71,618.70, in comparison to Rs 67,779.75 crore in 2018-19.

The Intelligence Bureau, which is responsible in gathering internal intelligence, has been allocated Rs 2,198.35, in comparison to Rs 2,056.05 crore given in the last fiscal.

The Special Protection Group, which is responsible for the security of the prime minister, former prime ministers and their close family members, has been allocated Rs 530.75 crore, in comparison to Rs 411.68 crore given in 2018-19.

In this budget, Rs 5,117 crore has been allocated for development of police infrastructure, including constructions of barracks, residential quarters, purchase of vehicles, arms and ammunition.

The 2019-20 budget allocated Rs 3,378 crore for modernisation of police forces, Rs 2,000 crore for border infrastructure and management, Rs 1,330 crore under mission for protection and empowerment for women, Rs 825 crore for border area development programme, Rs 809 crore for relief and rehabilitation for migrants and repatriates in Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 953 crore for freedom fighters pensions.

A total of Rs 50 crore was earmarked for the women safety scheme 'Nirbhaya Fund'.

With natural calamities often occurring in different parts of the country, the government allocated Rs 10,000 crore for the National Disaster Relief Fund for the next fiscal.

As the preparation for the 2021 census has began, the budget allocated Rs 541.33 for census, survey and statistics head under the Registrar General of India, Rs 50 crore for special industry initiative in Jammu and Kashmir, Rs 78.09 crore for the propagation of the Hindi language and Rs 4,895.81 crore for grants-in-aid to the state governments and union territories.

In addition, among the Union Territories, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been allocated Rs 4,817.48 crore, Rs 4,291.70 to Chandigarh, Rs 1,177.99 crore to Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Rs 821.4 crore to Daman and Diu and Rs 1,276.74 crore to Lakshadweep.

In the budget 2018-19, Rs 1,112 crore has been given to Delhi and Rs 1,545.00 crore to Puducherry.