Budget2018: When Finance minister Arun Jaitley rises to present the Union budget for the 2018-19 fiscal, it will not just be the corporate sector and economists who will be watching with a keen eye. The security establishment, particularly the police force, will be keeping a close watch on police budget allocations for the Ministry of Home Affairs. Experts have pointed to a clear case for higher allocation of resources for the police forces. However, there is also a word of caution that needs to be exercised on part of the Centre, and a lot of intent by those at states, for the police to counter the criticism over its performance. The case for police modernisation is yet to kick off despite its introduction 18 years ago. Still, the increase in budgetary allocation alone cannot lead to better performance. That is the dichotomy. But a look at some basic facts first.

What is Police Budget?

The police budget accounts for the lion’s share in the allocation of resources made to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The other heads under the MHA budget allocations include grants made to Union Territories and miscellaneous allocations such as disaster management, rehabilitation of refugees and migrants, census and Cabinet. An analysis of the budget estimates for 2017-18 shows that police budget accounted for over 80 percent of the allocations made to MHA.

Why is police budget important?

While maintaining law and public order are state subjects, the central government supplements the efforts of the states to fight extremism. Further, the central government is responsible for the seven central armed police forces (e.g. Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force), border infrastructure, intelligence gathering and police training. In addition, it supports the expenditure towards the state police forces through centrally sponsored schemes for modernisation of police.

Police budget allocations

In Budget 2017, Home Ministry received a total allocation of Rs 83,823.30 crore for 2017-18, 11.24 percent more than Rs 75,355.48 crore for 2016-17. There was also a significant increase in outlay for various schemes including Rs 4,008.06 crore, 33 percent up from Rs 3,012.98 crore, for building projects of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Central Police Organisations.

Union Home Ministry’s budgetary provisions were pegged at over Rs 83,000 for the fiscal, a hike of 11 percent over 2016-17, with a special emphasis being laid on improving the infrastructure of police forces. Delhi Police, which maintains law and order in the national capital, walked away with a major chunk of Rs 439 crore that was set aside for augmenting its infrastructure facilities during the budget in 2016-17.

The police budget accounts for a major chunk of the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Home Affairs – a staggering 80 percent. This includes budgetary allocations and issues related to (i) central armed police forces; (ii) border and police infrastructure; and (iii) schemes related to the modernisation of police forces.

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Infrastructure and modernisation

Union budget 2017 also saw a fresh impetus for police modernisation and infrastructure in terms of budgetary allocation. The government allocated Rs 2,022 crore for the next fiscal in contrast to the Budget Estimate (BE) of Rs 1,685 crore for 2016-17 and a significant Rs 4,447 crore for police infrastructure for 2017-18 as against Rs 3,265 crore in the previous fiscal, a jump of over 36 percent.

Police infrastructure entails construction of building for the Central paramilitary forces, Central police organisation and Delhi Police. Budgetary allocation for police modernisation and infrastructure got a major boost in the Union Budget last year, with the government allocating Rs 2,022 crore for 2017-18 in contrast to the Budget Estimate (BE) of Rs 1,685 crore for 2016-17 and a significant Rs 4,447 crore for police infrastructure for 2017-18 as against Rs 3,265 crore in 2016-17, a jump of over 36 percent.

Expectations: ‘Increase allocation but with a rider’

The police are the first point of contact for law enforcement and are often criticised for its performance. While there are two views on whether a higher budget for police can solely lift its performance, there is still a good case for increased allocation, believes Prakash Singh, former Uttar Pradesh DGP and ex-DG of the Border Security Force. “Communication, forensics, transport, communication, modernisation – there is a need for a higher budget allocation for the police forces on several heads,” he tells FinancialExpress.com.

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From staffing to building infrastructure and keeping abreast with technology, there is a lot that law enforcement needs catching up with. Moreover, with the ever-increasing threat of terrorism, the need for police modernisation — be it for better weaponry or infrastructure — is a pressing demand. Higher allocation for the police forces, believes Singh, can significantly improve their performance. “The feudal mindset of certain politicians who believe that merely paying salaries to the police force is sufficient is highly misplaced. This needs to change into a mindset of investing in the police and not just in their mere survival.”

Singh also points to the MHA’s Modernisation of Police Forces Scheme rolled out in 2000 and the states’ reluctance in implementing it. In September last year, the Cabinet cleared higher central allocation towards the programme – from 32 percent of central funding to 42 percent. As part of the approval, the government designated a financial outlay of Rs 25,060 crore for the MPF scheme over the next three years period, out of which the Centre would provide Rs 18,636 crore and the states, Rs 6,424 crore.This was after the 14th Finance Commission recommended an increase in the share of states for police modernisation. “The Rs 20,000 crore-odd release of funds by the Centre last year was necessitated because the states were not showing any interest after the 14th Finance Commission recommended an increase in the share of states,” Singh says, arguing that states have been unwilling to implement the scheme.

While the increase in budgetary allocation tops expectations, Singh points to the need for monitoring and clarity on part of the Centre. “There is obviously a need for higher allocation of resources for the police during the budget, But the Centre needs to clearly define the heads under which the allocations are being made. Also, the Centre must monitor whether these funds are being spent under the correct heads and are utilised for the purpose they are meant for. Only then can higher allocations translate into better performance of the police forces,” he cautions.

According to data from the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), states have failed to utilise funds under the MPF scheme. In the year 2015-16, out of a total grant of Rs 9,203 crore that was made available for modernisation, states utilised only Rs 1330 crore (14%), it shows. The need for monitoring is important, Singh asserts, and narrates an incident to drive home his point: “I had gone to Jharkhand for some official work and I had to travel some distance for a visit to an interior area. The car that was designated to me was an expensive SUV. I asked the police how they managed to get such an expensive car allotted for the visit. I was told that the car was bought in the name of a minister from the police modernisation funds. If this is the level of corruption, how can the forces progress without proper monitoring and accountability?”