Over Rs 911 crore allocated for CBI in Budget

Country's premier investigative agency Central Bureau of Investigation has received Rs 911.87 crore for the year 2022-23 in the Union Budget announced on Tuesday, a slight increase of over 4.75 per cent from the previous year.

The CBI which is over-stretched in terms of human resources is flooded with bank fraud cases, ongoing high profile extradition cases in courts abroad in addition to crime cases handed over to it by various states, High Courts and the Supreme Court.

The agency has 883 vacancies in the approved cadre strength of 7,273, according to a recent Parliamentary Panel report.

The agency was allocated Rs 835.39 crore to manage its affairs in 2021-22 which was later increased to Rs 870.50 crore in the Revised Estimates given in the Budget document released Tuesday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

"The provision is for 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.

This also includes provision for various projects such as Modernization of Training Centres of CBI, Establishment of Technical and Forensic Support Units, Comprehensive modernization and purchase of land/construction of office/ residence buildings for CBI, it said.