CBI Receives Rs 928cr from Govt, a Reduction of 40cr from FY24: Adequate for Modernisation & Ops?

New Delhi: In the Interim Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs 928.46 crore to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This marks a decrease of over Rs 40.4 crore from the previous fiscal year's (FY24)  allocation of Rs 968.86 crore in the Revised Estimates, originally set at Rs 946.51 crore in the Budget Estimates for 2023-24. The funds are intended to cover the CBI's establishment costs as well as its role in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases involving public officials, private individuals, businesses, and other serious crimes.

The funds have been allocated for a diverse range of projects, including the modernisation of CBI training centres, the establishment of technical and forensic support units, overall ‘comprehensive’ modernisation of its entire apparatus, and the acquisition of land for office and residential buildings. 

The CBI, among India’s top investigative agencies, confronts an array of challenges, including emerging crime scenes from the domain of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and the darknet, in addition to conventional crimes like bank loan frauds. The agency also handles high-profile extradition cases and criminal matters delegated by various states, high courts, and the Supreme Court.