MHA budget hiked by 11 per cent, lion’s share of allocation for police

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Finance Minister has announced the budget for 2022-23. The budget provided ample allocation for internal security.

About the allocation of budget for internal security

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): In the Union Budget for 2022-23, 1.85 lakh crore has been allocated to MHA. This is an increase of 11% over the Rs 1.66 lakh crore allocated to it in the current fiscal. In 2019-20, the Budget had allocated Rs 1.67 lakh crore to the MHA.

However, capital expenditure in the 2022-23 Budget for MHA has increased by only 5% from Rs 15,924 crore in the last Budget to Rs 16,753 crore this Budget.

Police: The budget allocated the bulk of the MHA funds of Rs 1.17 lakh crore to the police. Of the 1.17 lakh crore, Rs 10,500 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure, just marginally higher than the last Budget.

The allocation for Delhi Police has also increased from Rs 8,338 crore to Rs 10,096 crore between the last and this Budget.

Jammu and Kashmir: While the 2021-22 Budget had granted Rs 30,757 crore to the UT, this Budget has allocated Rs 35,581 crore to UT.

Ladakh: Ladakh has been allocated Rs 5,958 crore, the same as the last one and the one before that. Almost 60% of the allocation for Ladakh is capital expenditure.

CAPF: The total allocations for CAPF have increased by 12% in the last Budget to Rs 87,444 crore in 2022-23. Border infrastructure management has been allocated about Rs 600 crore more this Budget with a total allocation at Rs 2,744 crore.

This is to improve infrastructure in border areas. Under a new Vibrant Villages Programme, the government will increase the connectivity of border areas and do activities will include construction of villages infrastructure, housing, tourist centres, road connectivity, etc

Other allocations in the budget 2022-23

Office of Principal Scientific Advisor: In the Cabinet, the highest increase in the allocation has been recorded by the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor. The allocation for this office is up from Rs 68 crore in the last budget to Rs 300 crore in this Budget.

Source: This post is based on the article “MHA budget hiked by 11 per cent, lion’s share of allocation for police” published in the Indian Express on 2nd February 2022.