New Delhi: Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has been allocated Rs 33.32 crore for 2024-25 to meet its establishment and construction-related expenditures, according to the interim Union Budget presented on Thursday. It was initially given Rs 92 crore in the 2023-24 Budget. However, the budgetary provision was further revised upward to Rs 110.89 crore for the ongoing fiscal.
A total of Rs 33.32 crore has been allocated to the anti-corruption ombudsman for the next fiscal, according to the interim Union Budget 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The provision is for establishment and construction-related charged expenditure for the Lokpal, it said. The Lokpal is the apex body to inquire and investigate allegations of corruption against public functionaries.
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been allocated Rs 51.31 crore for the next financial year. The probity watchdog was given Rs 44.46 crore for 2023-24, which has been revised to Rs 47.73 crore for the ongoing fiscal. For 2024-25, the CVC has been provided Rs 51.31 crore. The provision is for secretariat expenditure of the Commission.
Meanwhile, the Centre has allocated Rs 928.46 crore to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Union Budget 2024-25, a snip of over Rs 40.4 crore from FY 2024. The agency had received Rs 946.51 crore to manage its affairs in the Budget Estimates for 2023-24, which was later increased to Rs 968.86 crore in the Revised Estimates. The government has allocated Rs 928.46 crore to the agency for 2024-25, the interim Budget presented by Sitharaman on Thursday said.
"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," it said. The document said the allocation also includes provision for various projects such as modernisation of training centres of the CBI, establishment of technical and forensic support units, comprehensive modernisation and purchase of land and construction of office and residence buildings for the agency.
The country's premier probe agency is engaged in tackling emerging crime scenes, dominated by artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and darknet besides conventional crimes like bank loan frauds and ongoing high-profile extradition cases in courts abroad. It also deals with criminal cases handed over by various states, high courts and the Supreme Court.
