Budget has factored in security needs, feels Chidambaram

01 Mar 10

The Union Minister P Chidambaram hailed last week's Union Budget for 2010-11 that was presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament and drew attention to some noteworthy aspects pertaining to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

To begin with, Chidambaram pointed out that, "For police, a sum of Rs 30,000 crore has been provided under revenue and capital account. This is about the same level as the expenditure that will be actually incurred in 2009-10 and, wisely spent, should be able to cater to the needs of security."

Of the above, assistance to States for modernisation of police force has been pegged at Rs 1,975 crore, a modest increase of Rs 130 crore over the actual expenditure that will be incurred in 2009-10. "However, I am confident that, if necessary, we can find additional resources through re-appropriation or through supplementaries," remarked Chidambaram.

Delhi Police has been provided Rs 2,805 crore, the same level as the estimated actual expenditure in 2009-10.

Construction of housing for the Central Police Forces has been given Rs 444 crore and we should be able to leverage this amount through the proposed PPP model and build a large number of housing units.

Immigration services have been provided Rs 155 crore and the bulk of this provision (Rs 140 crore) will be spent on setting up Integrated Check Posts.

The ambitious Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) has received a generous provision of Rs.175 crore.

At Chidambaram's request, the Finance Minister made a reference to the proposal belonging to Jammu and Kashmir to the Central Para Military Forces in the year 2010. The youth of these regions will be recruited by CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and CISF.

On the other aspects of the Budget, Chidambaram commended the Finance Minister for the generous allocation to the flagship and other key programmes such as NREGS (Rs 40,000 crore), Indira Awaz Yojana (Rs.10,000 crore), the Rural Roads Programme (Rs 12,000 crore), Rural Drinking Water Programme (Rs 9,000 crore), Agriculture and related activities (Rs 6,515 crore), agricultural research (Rs 2,300 crore), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Rs.15,000 crore), Mid-day Meal Scheme (Rs 9,440 crore), higher education (Rs 10,000 crore), women and child development (Rs 10,000 crore), roads (Rs 16,700 crore) and power (Rs.9,200 crore). The central piece of the budget is obviously the 'aam aadmi' (common man). "The thrust of the Budget is towards provision of infrastructure and social services in rural India," Chidambaram added.

According to Chidambaram, "The underpinning of a Budget lies in fiscal consolidation. The worst may be over and the Finance Minister has signalled that beginning 2010-11 we will move in the direction of reducing the fiscal deficit and revenue deficit. While these two indicators will remain high in 2010-11 (5.5 per cent and 4.0 per cent respectively), I am confident that we would be able to adhere to the road map laid down by the Thirteenth Finance Commission".

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