Law enforcement agencies see 11.5% increase in budget

For fiscal 2013-14, agencies working under interior ministry will receive Rs65.24b.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has earmarked Rs65.24 billion for law-enforcement agencies working under the interior ministry, compared to Rs58.5 billion in fiscal 2012-13.

The budget document shows an increase in funds for various departments of the interior ministry working under the federal government, compared to the last fiscal.

The departments include the interior division, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), passport office, civil armed forces, Frontier Constabulary (FC), Pakistan Coast Guards, Pakistan Rangers and other expenditures of the interior division.

As per the breakdown, Rs603.43 million have been allocated to the interior division for the new fiscal as compared to last fiscal’s Rs572.18 million. ICT has been earmarked Rs5.92 billion against last year’s allocation of Rs5.46 billion.

The passport office will receive Rs1.22 billion, compared to Rs904.46 million in fiscal 2012-13, while Rs32.363 billion have been earmarked for the civil armed forces, against last year’s Rs29.15 billion.

The FC has been allocated Rs6.24 billion, compared to Rs6.23 billion last year.

The Pakistan Coast Guards will see in their all0cation an increase from Rs1.38 billion last year to Rs1.49 billion for the new fiscal. Pakistan Rangers will receive Rs14.49 billion this year against last year’s Rs12.6 billion.



Finally, to meet other expenditures of the interior division, Rs2.8 billion have been earmarked; an increase from Rs2.18 billion.

Allocation for ministry of law and justice

The government has allocated Rs5.12 billion for the ministry of law and justice for fiscal 2013-14, compared to Rs2.94 billion in the previous fiscal.

Out of the total budget, Rs456.32 million have been earmarked for the law and justice division, Rs2.59 billion for other expenditures of the division.

The district judiciary and ICT have been allocated Rs292.34 billion and Rs1.78 billion has been earmarked for the National Accountability Bureau.

Supreme Court’s share

The budget of the Supreme Court has seen an increase from Rs1.04 billion to Rs1.11 billion.

The breakdown shows Rs181.41 million have been allocated for payment to officers against Rs145.07 million last year.

For the payment of salaries to other staff, there has been a decrease to Rs57.68 million from Rs58.23 million last year.

Besides, Rs162.23 million will be released for operating expenses compared to Rs144.96 million last year and Rs10 million has been allocated for employees retirement benefits as compared to Rs5.58 million last year.

A further Rs14.7 million have been allocated for repair and maintenance work of the apex court.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2013.