New Delhi, July 07: Budget 2009-2010 has kept aside a substantial Rs 3,041 crore for the Delhi Police, of which Rs 22.61 crore has been specially earmarked for upgrading security for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
A senior officer said this was the first time that the Delhi Police has been handed a special package for the Games.
The present allocation — considerably more than the Rs 2,170 crore given last year — will be spent mainly on salaries, on modernising the force, buying traffic equipment and weapons and funding housing projects.
The department, though happy with the Budget, has pointed out that the maximum chunk will go towards paying salaries, factoring in the stipulations of the sixth pay commission. Officers said a total of Rs 2,272 crore will be spent on salaries, which include arrears.
Given the thrust towards the Games late next year, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has kept an outlay of Rs 122.40 crore for modernising the department. Last year, this category had been given Rs 107 crore.
Rs 40 crore has been marked for traffic — for upgrading the department’s equipment as well as manpower. Out of this, Rs 2 crore will be spent on installing traffic signals in the city, and Rs 50 lakh on training officers.
The department has also got Rs 28 crore to buy more vehicles.
On the other hand, allocation for weapons has seen a decrease from last year’s Rs 14.47 crore to Rs 10 crore in this Budget.
The share for housing and construction of buildings for the Delhi Police has also come down from Rs 41.47 crore last year to Rs 31.50 crore in 2009.
–Agencies