New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has been allocated Rs 946 crore by the Centre in the Union Budget 2023-24, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Wednesday. It is a slight increase of over 4.4 per cent from FY 2023.
The country's premier probe agency is over-stretched in terms of human resources to tackle emerging crime scenes, dominated by artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, darknet, and conventional crimes like bank fraud cases and ongoing high-profile extradition cases in courts abroad, in addition to criminal cases handed over by various states, High Courts and the Supreme Court.
In the Budget Estimates for 2022-23, the agency received Rs 841.96 crore to manage its affairs, which was later increased to Rs 906.59 crore in the Revised Estimates. The government has allocated Rs 946.51 crore to the agency for 2023-24, stated the Budget document presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.
"The provision is for the establishment-related expenditure of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is entrusted with investigation and prosecution in corruption cases against public servants, private persons, firms, and other cases of serious crimes," the Budget document said. It also includes provision for various projects such as the modernization of CBI's training centers, the establishment of technical and forensic support units, comprehensive modernization, and purchase of land/construction of office/residence, it said.
Nirmala Sitharaman tabled Union Budget in Lok Sabha for 5th time in a row on Wednesday. Under her, India tided over the Covid-led crisis and suffered an economic contraction in fiscal 2021. Now, India is the fastest-growing major economy amid the global recession risks. Sitharaman was the 6th FM and 2nd woman FM who presented the Budget.
