NEW DELHI: To strengthen the country’s internal security infrastructure, the government has announced 11 per cent hike in the allocation to Union Home Ministry in budget 2014-15. The Ministry was granted Rs 65,745 crore with substantial increase for modernisation of State Police forces for which a sum of Rs 3,000 crore has been set aside in the current financial year.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has also allocated Rs 2,250 crore to strengthen and modernise border infrastructure and an additional grant of Rs 990 crore has been set aside for the socio-economic development of the villages along the borders.
A sum of Rs 150 crore will also be spent by the MHA on a scheme to increase the safety of women in large cities. The government will also set up “Crisis Management Centres” in all the districts of NCT of Delhi this year in all government and private hospitals. The funding will be provided from the Nirbhaya Fund.
“A sum of Rs 150 crore has also been earmarked for the construction of Marine Police Station, jetties, for the purchase of boats etc,” Jaitley said, presenting the budget for 2014-15.
The Finance Minister gave a substantial hike to country’s largest Paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Force by allocating Rs 12,169 crore. The force had received Rs 11,373 crore last year. The BSF, which guards Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, has been allocated Rs 11,242.02 crore in comparison to Rs 10,378.77 crore it received in 2013-14 budget. The CISF responsible for security of most of the airports was allocated Rs 4,729.22 crore, while the NSG specialised force for combating terrorism has been allocated `628.28 Crore. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been allocated Rs 101.3 crore.
The National Intelligence Grid has been allocated Rs 29.97 crore. The budget 2014-15 has substantially increased the allocation for border fencing and construction of roads at Indo-Bangladesh border. A total `2,150 crore has been allocated for border works. A sum of Rs 150 crore has been allocated for setting up of mobile checkposts in coastal areas of the country.
The Intelligence Bureau, has been allocated Rs 1,196.43 crore in the 2014-2015 budget.