India’s internal security budget gets 13 per cent hike

In a bid to bolster India’s internal security amid myriad threats, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs 70184.58 crore  ($11 billion approx) for the paramilitary forces and other police related expenditure. This is a 13 percent hike from Rs 62124.52 crore allocated last year. Paramilitary forces alone got Rs 50,176.45 crore ($8 billion approx). The Central Reserve Police Force has been in the forefront of anti-Maoist operations and anti-militant operations in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been allocated Rs 16,228.18 crore.($2.5 billion approx). The Border Security Force, which is guarding the international border with Pakistan and Bangladesh, has been allocated Rs 14,652.90 crore ($2 billion approx). Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), that has been tasked with the security of country’s airports, nuclear installation and key government buildings, has been allocated Rs 6,067.13 crore ($1 billion approx). The Indo-Tibetan Border Police that has been guarding the Sino-Indian border, has got Rs 4,231.04 crore and Assam Rifles, deployed at the Indo-Myanmar border which is dealing with insurgents in the Northeast, will get Rs 4,363.88 crore . It is estimated that another Rs 2,490 crore has been allocated for erection of barbed wire fencing, construction of roads and induction of hi-tech surveillance on Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pak borders. According to  the special industry initiative for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Jaitley has increased the allocation to Rs 70 crore, up from Rs 45 crore and the disaster management apparatus will get Rs 1,579.75 crore. According to budget allocation,  the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System was allocated Rs 250 crore while the allocation for modernisation of police forces scheme will get Rs 1,753.90 crore. The Intelligence Bureau is estimated to get Rs 1,410.45 crore, while the Special Protection Group which guards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former prime ministers will get Rs 359.55 crore. As per the budget allocation,  Rs 2,119.88 crore has been allocated for “providing support for research activities” in the Home ministry.