Budget 2012: Cut for SPG, 15 percent more for CBI

New Delhi: The budgetary allocation for the elite Special Protection Group (SPG), which guards the Prime Minister and other VVIPs, has been decreased by about Rs 35 crore to Rs 351 crore for the new fiscal.

The budgetary proposals presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Lok Sabha today for the executive protection agency, which has been bringing in modern equipment, have been pegged at Rs 351 crore for 2012-13 as against the revised expenditure of Rs 385.95 crore during 2011-12.[caption id=“attachment_247071” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Less for the best. Image courtesy PIB”]  [/caption]

The SPG was allocated Rs 279 crore initially by the finance minister in 2011 which was later increased by over Rs 100 crore to Rs 385.95 crore.

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The proposed increase in the allocation for the SPG is for technological advancement, training and skill development of the nearly 3,500-strong force, sources had said.

The Special Protection Group provides proximate security to the Prime Minister, former prime ministers and their families besides guarding Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka.

The force, which was earlier known as Special Protection Unit, has been pressing for an aircraft and other equipment to meet its requirements for carrying out security-related duties.

The CBI was however luckier with its budgetary allocation increased by about 15 percent to Rs 395.77 crore as compared to Rs 344.64 crore in the last fiscal.

The amount has been allocated for establishment-related expenditure of the CBI which is entrusted with investigation and prosecution of corruption cases against public servants, private persons, firms and other cases of serious crime.

The budget allocation also includes provisions for the CBI e-governance, modernisation of training centre, establishment of technical and forensic support units, construction of office, residential complexes of CBI branches, the budget document said.

PTI