Budget 2023: 6% hike in MHA’s budget; Census allocation cut by less than half

Of Rs 1.96 crore, the budget allocated for Census 2021 has been slashed from Rs 3,676 crore in the last budget to Rs 1,564 crore in this budget.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been allocated in excess of Rs 1.96 lakh crore in the Union Budget for 2023-24. This figure is around 6 per cent higher than the allocation of Rs 1.85 lakh crore in 2022-23 budget.

The lion’s share of the budget allocation for the MHA has gone to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which have been earmarked in excess of Rs 1.27 lakh crore for the coming fiscal. Of this, Rs 11,809 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure. In the 2022-23 budget, the allocation for the police stood at Rs 1.17 lakh crore, with Rs 10,500 crore being capital expenditure. A substantial amount has also been allocated for improving infrastructure along the international border, police infrastructure and modernisation of police forces.

Of Rs 1.96 crore, the budget allocated for Census 2021 has been slashed from Rs 3,676 crore in the last budget to Rs 1,564 crore in this budget. “Census, survey and statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI), includes provisions for the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and various schemes of RGI, including National Population Register and expenditure on Census, 2021. In 2021-22, a budget of Rs 505.12 crore was allocated, and Rs 3,276 was allocated in the last budget, but it was later revised,” according to the budget.

Since the announcement of the Census exercise and its deferment due to the pandemic in 2020, the deadline for freezing of jurisdictional boundaries has been extended seven times. The Census enumeration scheduled to take place in 2021 has been further pushed to 2024-25 until further orders.

The Union Territory of J&K has been given Rs 35,581 crore this budget, the same as the last one. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been allocated Rs 5,987 crore in this budget and Ladakh has been allocated Rs 5,958 crore, the same as the last one and the one before that. Rs 1,168 crore has been allocated to Delhi as compared to Rs 977 crore in the last budget.

Border infrastructure management has been allocated Rs 3,545 crore – which is 29.17 per cent higher than Rs 2,744 crore allocated in the earlier budget. Rs 350.61 crore has been allocated for maintenance of border check posts, which is higher that Rs 22.5 crore allocated last year, according to the budget.

Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “The Budget-2023 brought by the Modi government will lay a strong foundation for Amritkaal. I am confident that this all-inclusive and visionary budget will give further impetus to the resolve of the government, which is taking every section along, to make a self-reliant India. I Congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for this.”

The budget of the National Intelligence Grid has been increased from 87.77 crore to Rs 200.52 crore. Among other key agencies, the Intelligence Bureau has been allocated Rs 3,418 crore this budget, up from Rs 3,168 crore last year. The allocation for the Delhi Police been has increased by 15.22 per cent from Rs 10,096 crore to Rs 11,662 in this budget.

The allocation for the 3,000-strong Special Protection Group, which now protects the Prime Minister, has been increased from Rs 385.95 crore to Rs 433.59 crore in this budget.

For the modernisation of the police force, the budget allocation is Rs 3,750 crore, 36.15 per cent higher that Rs 2,754.16 crore allotted last year.

Modernisation of prisons has been allocated Rs 250 crore in this budget; last year, Rs 400 crore had been allocated under this head. Rs 1,100 crore has been allocated for Safe City Projects.

Union Budget 2023: All you need to know

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been allocated in excess of Rs 1.96 lakh crore in the Union Budget for 2023-24. This figure is around 6 per cent higher than the allocation of Rs 1.85 lakh crore in 2022-23 budget.

The lion’s share of the budget allocation for the MHA has gone to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which have been earmarked in excess of Rs 1.27 lakh crore for the coming fiscal. Of this, Rs 11,809 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure. In the 2022-23 budget, the allocation for the police stood at Rs 1.17 lakh crore, with Rs 10,500 crore being capital expenditure. A substantial amount has also been allocated for improving infrastructure along the international border, police infrastructure and modernisation of police forces.

Of Rs 1.96 crore, the budget allocated for Census 2021 has been slashed from Rs 3,676 crore in the last budget to Rs 1,564 crore in this budget. “Census, survey and statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI), includes provisions for the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and various schemes of RGI, including National Population Register and expenditure on Census, 2021. In 2021-22, a budget of Rs 505.12 crore was allocated, and Rs 3,276 was allocated in the last budget, but it was later revised,” according to the budget.

Since the announcement of the Census exercise and its deferment due to the pandemic in 2020, the deadline for freezing of jurisdictional boundaries has been extended seven times. The Census enumeration scheduled to take place in 2021 has been further pushed to 2024-25 until further orders.

The Union Territory of J&K has been given Rs 35,581 crore this budget, the same as the last one. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been allocated Rs 5,987 crore in this budget and Ladakh has been allocated Rs 5,958 crore, the same as the last one and the one before that. Rs 1,168 crore has been allocated to Delhi as compared to Rs 977 crore in the last budget.

Border infrastructure management has been allocated Rs 3,545 crore – which is 29.17 per cent higher than Rs 2,744 crore allocated in the earlier budget. Rs 350.61 crore has been allocated for maintenance of border check posts, which is higher that Rs 22.5 crore allocated last year, according to the budget.

Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “The Budget-2023 brought by the Modi government will lay a strong foundation for Amritkaal. I am confident that this all-inclusive and visionary budget will give further impetus to the resolve of the government, which is taking every section along, to make a self-reliant India. I Congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for this.”

The budget of the National Intelligence Grid has been increased from 87.77 crore to Rs 200.52 crore. Among other key agencies, the Intelligence Bureau has been allocated Rs 3,418 crore this budget, up from Rs 3,168 crore last year. The allocation for the Delhi Police been has increased by 15.22 per cent from Rs 10,096 crore to Rs 11,662 in this budget.

The allocation for the 3,000-strong Special Protection Group, which now protects the Prime Minister, has been increased from Rs 385.95 crore to Rs 433.59 crore in this budget.

For the modernisation of the police force, the budget allocation is Rs 3,750 crore, 36.15 per cent higher that Rs 2,754.16 crore allotted last year.

Modernisation of prisons has been allocated Rs 250 crore in this budget; last year, Rs 400 crore had been allocated under this head. Rs 1,100 crore has been allocated for Safe City Projects.

Union Budget 2023: All you need to know