Over 9% rise in Home Ministry budget; Intelligence Bureau sees enhanced allocation

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has seen an increase of 9.44% in the total allocation in the Union Budget 2026-27, which was announced on February 1. The overall budget has increased from ₹2,33,210 crore to ₹2,55,233.53 crore.

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has seen an increase of ₹2,623 crore in budget — from the ₹4,159 crore budget estimate in 2025-26 to ₹6,782 crore BE in 2026-27. The budget was revised to ₹3,893 crore in the current fiscal. The provision is for meeting the administrative expenses of IB, which ensures national security by collecting and analysing information on internal threats, terrorist activities and potential security risks, the budget document said.

The upcoming Population Census 2027 has been allocated ₹6,000 crore. The first phase of the Census — Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) will go on from April 1 to September 30, and the second phase of Population Enumeration will be completed in February-March 2027.

On December 12, 2025, the Union Cabinet had approved ₹11,718.24 crore for the Census activities. This will be the first digital Census and the first to enumerate caste in independent India. Around 31 lakh enumerators, mostly schoolteachers, will capture the data on their personal phones and will get ₹25,000 each as honorarium. First, private persons will also be engaged to assist the government officials with technical aspects in the forthcoming Census.

The second phase of Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP), which was approved by the Union Cabinet on April 4, 2025 for the comprehensive development of strategic villages along all international borders, has been allocated ₹300 crore in the 2026-27 fiscal.

The provision aims at the development of selected border villages to integrate the border population with the nation by creating better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities, including villages infrastructure development, road connectivity and other developmental works.

Infra for CAPF

A significant increase was witnessed in building projects and infrastructure for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The section saw an increase of ₹1,000 crore in allocation from ₹4,038 crore in 2025-26 to ₹5,040 crore in 2026-27.

An amount of ₹1,73,802.53 crore has been given to CAPFs such as the CRPF, BSF and CISF, responsible for internal security, border guarding and security of vital installations.

The government allocated ₹450.54 crore for the modernisation of State Police Forces and Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), while ₹3,610.80 crore was provided for Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Infrastructure Scheme for Left Wing Extremist (LWE) Areas, as the Home Ministry has kept a deadline of March 31 for the eradication of Naxalism from the country.

The Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), one of the key pillars of the new criminal laws to integrate digital platforms enabling seamless data sharing among police, courts, prosecution, prisons, and forensic agencies has been allocated ₹550 crore in 2026-27, up from ₹300 crore in 2025-26.