Rs 1.19 lakh crore to MHA; modest 5.17 percent hike in budget allocation

New Delhi: The Home Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,19,025 crore in the Union Budget 2019-20, Rs 5,858 crore more than the last fiscal with special focus on improving police infrastructure, border areas and modernization of police forces.

The ministry, currently headed by Amit Shah, received a modest 5.17 percent hike over the revised estimate of 2018-19 amounting to Rs 1,13,167 crore. The Delhi Police, which maintains law and order in the national capital, has been allocated Rs 7,496.91 crore while Rs 2,129 crore has been proposed for the development of infrastructure along the Indo-Pak, Sino-Indian and other international borders. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is engaged in anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, and is often deployed for internal security duties, has been allocated Rs 23,963.66 crore for 2019-20, compared to Rs 22,646.63 crore in 2018-19.

The Border Security Force, which guards the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, has been allocated Rs 19,650.74 crore for the next fiscal, compared to Rs 18,585.96 crore 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 71,713.9 crore. It was Rs 67,779.75 crore in 2018-19. The Intelligence Bureau, which is responsible for gathering internal intelligence, has been allocated Rs 2,384.1 crore, as against Rs 2,056.05 crore 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 535.45 crore. It was allocated Rs 411.68 crore given in 2018-19. In this budget, Rs 4,757 crore has been allocated for the development of police infrastructure, including constructions of barracks, residential quarters, purchase of vehicles, arms and ammunition. The 2019-20 budget allocated Rs 3,462 crore for modernization of police forces, Rs 825 crore for border area development programme, Rs 842 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 women safety scheme 'Nirbhaya Fund' and Rs 296 crore for the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project. As the preparation for the 2021 census has began, the budget allocated Rs 621.33 crore for the percentcensus, survey and statistics head under the Registrar General of India. An amount of Rs 50 crore is proposed 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 crore has been earmarked for Chandigarh, Rs 1,177.99 crore has been allocated 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 1,601 crore to Puducherry.