In the Regular Union Budget of Financial Year (FY) 2024-25, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been allocated Rs 6,21,940.85 crore (approx. US $75 Billion), the highest among the Ministries.
Defence Budget 2024
Rs 6.22 Lakh Crore Allocated To Mod, Highest Among Ministries
- In the Regular Union Budget of Financial Year (FY) 2024-25, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been allocated Rs 6,21,940.85 crore (approx. US $75 Billion), the highest among the Ministries.
- While maintaining the allocation made to MoD during interim budget, the Government has made an additional allocation to the tune of Rs 400 crore on innovation in defence through the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme.
- A grant of upto 50% of Product Development Budget with enhanced limit (Max) of Rs 25 crore per applicant will be awarded as per extant iDEX guidelines.
- The allocation to MoD for FY 2024-25 is higher by approx. Rs one lakh crore (18.43%) over the allocation for FY 2022-23 and 4.79% more than allocation of FY 2023-24. Out of this, a share of 27.66% goes to capital; 14.82% for revenue expenditure on sustenance and operational preparedness;
- 30.66% for Pay and Allowances; 22.70% for Defence Pensions, and 4.17% for civil organisations under MoD. The total allocation comes out as approx. 12.90% of Budgetary Estimate of Union of India.
- In absolute terms, budgetary allocation under capital head to the Defence Forces for FY 2024-25 is Rs 1.72 lakh crore, which is 20.33% higher than the actual expenditure of FY 2022-23 and 9.40% more than the Revised Allocation of FY 2023-24.
- The Government has increased the allocation on innovation in defence through iDEX from Rs 115 crore during FY 2023-24 to Rs 518 crore in the current fiscal year, which will boost start-ups/MSMEs/innovators in developing Def-Tech solutions and invite young ignited minds.
Rs 2.19 Lakh Crore To Home Ministry
- The Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday allocated Rs 2,19,643.31 crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs with the majority of it — Rs 1,43,275.90 crore — being given to central police forces like the CRPF, BSF, and CISF which are responsible for internal security, border guarding, and security of vital installations.
- The interim budget 2024-25 had allocated Rs 2,02,868.70 crore to the home ministry, helmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has allocated Rs 42,277.74 crore to Jammu and Kashmir which is currently under the direct control of the central government after the abrogation of Article 370.
- In the budget, Rs 5,985.82 crore has been given to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Rs 5,862.62 crore to Chandigarh, Rs 5,958 crore to Ladakh, Rs 2,648.97 crore to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Rs 1,490.10 crore to Lakshadweep.
- The budget also allocated Rs 1,309.46 crore (Rs 578.29 crore in 2023-24) towards work related to census and Rs 1,606.95 crore to the National Disaster Response Force (Rs 1,666.38 crore in 2023-24).
- The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has been allocated Rs 3,823.83 crore (Rs 3,268.94 crore in 2023-24), the Delhi Police got Rs 11,180.33 crore (Rs 11,940.33 crore in 2023-24), the Special Protection Group got Rs 506.32 crore (Rs 446.82 crore in 2023-24).
- Meanwhile, Rs 3,756.51 crore has been allocated to the Border Infrastructure and Management, Rs 3,152.36 crore has been given for developing police infrastructure, Rs 1,105 crore for schemes related to women’s safety, Rs 9,305.43 crore for various central sector projects and schemes sponsored by the home ministry, Rs 3,199.62 crore for security-related expenditure and Rs 1,050 crore for Vibrant Villages Programme.