Police and Vigilance departments received a sizeable Budget allocation of over ₹200 crore for modernisation.
The Budget allocated a collective assistance of ₹193 crore for the modernisation of the departments. This was in addition to ₹60 crore expected from Centrally sponsored schemes including the State share.
While welcoming the allocation for the modernisation drive, Manoj Abraham, ADGP, Head Quarters, said the specifics of the allocation were still being awaited.
“The focus of our modernisation drive is the digital delivery of services to the public through digital and modern means with increased efficiency while reducing the time delay,” he said.
When asked whether the funds allocated for modernisation drive could be used for the advancement of police cyberdome, Mr. Abraham, also the nodal officer for the Kerala Police Cyberdome, said this would become clear only after the specifics of the allocation become known.
Besides, the Budget allocated ₹16 crore for the renovation of jails and another ₹10 crore for the welfare and rehabilitation of prisoners.
Among the other uniformed forces, the Excise department received a Budgetary allocation of ₹12 crore out of which ₹5 crore was for ‘Vimukthi’ – the Excise department’s de-addiction programme.
S. Aananthakrishnan, Excise Commissioner, said the allocation was very encouraging in keeping with the proposals submitted by the department to the State government under Vimukthi.
Significantly, the Fire and Rescue Services received a major boost, as the Finance Minister allocated ₹70 crore, which is almost completely earmarked for ensuring modern equipments and technical amnesties. This could not have come a day earlier for a department trying to further enhance its fire fighting capabilities, especially in high-rise buildings.