CAPFs under MHA get small hike in budgetary allocation in Union Budget

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) The CAPFs that function under the Union home ministry to ensure security of various Indian land borders, apart from federal counter-terrorist forces such as the NSG, have been granted a marginal increase in their budgetary allocations in the Union Budget.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) -- the largest among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) with 3.25 lakh personnel -- has seen an uptick in its budgetary allocation, with the Centre providing Rs 35,147 crore to it for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal against a revised estimate of Rs 34,328 crore during the 2024-25 financial year, according to budget documents.

The CRPF is majorly active in Left Wing Extremism-affected states, where more than a lakh of its troops are deployed, and has the primary responsibility of keeping the government's commitment of ending Naxalism by March 2026.

The Border Security Security (BSF), with about 2.65 lakh personnel and tasked with guarding the Pakistan and the Bangladesh fronts, has been provided Rs 28,231 crore against an allocation of Rs 27,895 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal.

Rs 16,084 crore has been earmarked for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) -- which has about 1.90 lakh personnel and guards the Parliament House complex, various civil airports and other vital installations -- compared to an allocation of Rs 15,272 crore in 2024-25.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), guarding the India-China Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been allocated Rs 10,370 crore for the upcoming fiscal against Rs 9,861 crore in 2024-25. It has about 98,000 personnel.

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which patrols the Nepal and the Bhutan fronts, has been earmarked Rs 10,237 crore against Rs 9,834 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal.

Apart from the CAPFs, the home ministry oversees two other forces -- the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Assam Rifles.

The Black Cats commando counter-terrorist and counter-hijack commando force NSG has been allocated more than Rs 1,274 crore for the upcoming fiscal against Rs 1,196 crore in 2024-25.

The Assam Rifles, which guards the Myanmar front, has been allocated Rs 1,196 crore, compared to Rs 7,855 crore in the 2024-25 financial year. PTI NES NES SZM SZM

Source: PTI