Union Budget 2024 | Allocation for MHA sees 12% hike but for Census, it’s a decline

The Finance Minister earmarked Rs 1,50,983.05 crore for the MHA, which is tasked with a variety of assignments that includes maintaining internal security.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday saw a nearly 12% increase in its allocation in the latest Union Budget with paramilitary gobbling up the largest portion even as the already delayed Census 2021 have been given less money than the previous fiscal.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earmarked Rs 1,50,983.05 crore for the MHA, which is tasked with a variety of assignments that includes maintaining internal security.

Besides this, another Rs 68,660.26 crore has been earmarked for MHA for running the affairs of union territories Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Ladakh and Chandigarh and transfers to Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Puducherry. For Jammu and Kashmir, the transfer will be Rs 42,277.74 crore.

Amit Shah-led MHA is at fourth position among ministries when it comes to expenditure on major items. Rajnath Singh-led Ministry of Defence retained the first spot in allocation for major expenditure with Rs 4.54 lakh crore followed by the Ministry of Rural Development at Rs 2.65 lakh crore and Agriculture and Allied Activities Rs 1.51 lakh crore.

As was the case in previous fiscals, the majority of the MHA allocation went to police and paramilitary forces among others at Rs 1,43,275 crore, up from Rs 1,27,756.74 crore in the 2023 Budget and revised estimates of Rs 1,26,435.82 crore.

At a time when the Indian borders are still tense, the latest Budget has increased allocation for border management and infrastructure from Rs 3,545.03 crore to Rs 3,756.51 crore.

However, the budget document showed that the Finance Minister has allocated Rs 1,250.13 crore for census surveys and statistics, which is a decrease of Rs 254.01 crore from 2023-24 budget estimates. The revised estimates for 2023-24 was Rs 520.96 crore only.

The Census has been delayed since 2021 and experts and Opposition have raised concern over the absence of updated data, which they say would have an impact on designing programmes targeting marginalised communities.

Similarly, the allocation for Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children and Miscellaneous Schemes has seen a further decline to Rs 52.85 crore from Rs 176.31 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 120.78 crore in 2023-24. In 2021-22, the allocation was Rs 759.59 crore.

Altogether, there is an increase for allocation for schemes related to safety of women, including on Nirbhaya Fund transfer, from Rs 321 crore to Rs 1,105 crore.

The allocation for modernisation of police forces saw a decline this -- from Rs 3,750 crore to Rs 3,720.30 crore. The paramilitary forces -- CRPF, NSG, BSF, ITBP, CISF, Assam Rifles and SSB -- cornered Rs 96,959.12 crore from 94,665.03 crore.

CRPF, which is engaged in internal security duties in Kashmir and naxal-infested states among others, has been allocated Rs 31,543.20 crore, a decline from Rs 31,772.23 crore while BSF, which is deployed on the India-Pak and India-Bangladesh borders, has been given Rs 25,472.44 crore as against 24,771.28 crore.

The allocation for the Special Protection Group, which guards the Prime Minister, has seen an increase to Rs 506.32 crore from 433.59 crore. The Intelligence Bureau has been given Rs 3823.83 crore.

Union Budget 2024 LIVE | Making a record for any Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th consecutive Union Budget on July 23, 2024 under the Modi 3.0 government. This Budget brought tax relief for the middle class, while focusing on jobs through skilling, incentivising employers. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.