Budget 2023: Centre allocates Rs 946 cr to CBI; increase of over 4.4%

The Centre has allocated Rs 946 crore to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Union Budget 2023-24 announced on Wednesday, a slight increase of over 4.4 per cent from FY 2023.

The country's premier probe agency is over-stretched in terms of human resources to tackle emerging crime scenes, dominated by artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, darknet, and conventional crimes like bank fraud cases and ongoing high-profile extradition cases in courts abroad, in addition to criminal cases handed over by various states, High Courts and the Supreme Court.

The agency received Rs 841.96 crore to manage its affairs in the Budget Estimates for 2022-23, which was later increased to Rs 906.59 crore in the Revised Estimates.

The Government has allocated Rs 946.51 crore to the agency for 2023-24, the Budget document presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

"The provision is for the 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.

It also includes provision for various projects such as the modernization of CBI's training centres, establishment of technical and forensic support units, comprehensive modernization and purchase of land/construction of office/residence, it said.