Delhi Police has been allocated Rs. 7426.98 crore in Union Budget 2018-109 for the next fiscal which is 16.44 per cent more than the amount allocated last year. Rs 19.75 crore set was aside for the Nirbhya Fund, a 5 per cent of decrease from last year, while funds for infrastructure development saw 4.95 per cent hike.
Of the total budget allocated to Delhi Police, Rs 460.95 crore has been granted for infrastructure purposes, comprising police stations and residential projects. In an unexpected move, the Central Government decreased the amount for Nirbhya Fund from Rs 28.90 crore to Rs 19.75 crore.
Swati Maliwal, chief of Delhi Commission for Women, criticised the budget for not allocating enough amount for Nirbhya Fund despite increase in atrocities and assaults on women, girls and infants too. DCW chief noted that the amount which was allocated last year for Nirbhya Fund was not completely utilised and many activities remained pending.
However, last year Nirbhya Fund saw a 75 per cent hike from Rs. 3.40 crore in 2016-2017 to Rs. 28.90 crore.
She said, “I am disappointed with the Union budget 2018. The Finance Minister hardly mentioned women and children in his speech. Despite the country witnessing increasing child sexual abuse and having witnessed the rape of eight-month-old baby, it deeply pains me to note that no measures have been announced to enhance the safety of women and children.”
Subsequently, she raised the issue of “lack of police personnel in the Capital”. The DCW chief stated that “Delhi Police has been demanding 66,000 additional police force as well as better software for digitising its functioning.”