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New Delhi: The government has allocated over Rs 1471 crore in the Union Budget 2026-27 for the modernisation of forensic capabilities, with a number of other schemes aimed at making justice swift and accessible.
In the Budget announced on Sunday, under the Police head of the Union Home Ministry, Rs 500 crore has been allocated for the modernisation of forensic capacities under the schemes for Safety of Women.
Additionally, Rs 14 crore has been allocated for upgrading Central Forensic Science Laboratories, which includes the establishment of a National Forensic Data Centre.
The Budget also includes Rs 130 crore for the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme, which aims to strengthen the national forensic infrastructure across the country by setting up various off-campus National Forensic Science Universities (NFSUs) and other Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs).
The NFSU has been allocated Rs 145 crore to cover expenses related to academic, administrative, research, and infrastructural activities.
The Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), aimed to "integrate digital platforms enabling seamless data sharing among police, courts, prosecution, prisons, and forensic agencies", has been given Rs 550 crore.
The Budget has also allocated Rs 132.89 crore under the Criminology and Forensic Science category, a hike of around 34 per cent from the Rs 99 crore provisioned in Revised Estimates for 2025-26.
This expense covers "administrative expenditure on the Directorate of Forensic Science and Central Forensic Science Laboratories. The provision is also for the modernisation of Central Forensic Science Laboratories with emphasis on human resources development and Research and Development Schemes, establishment of Regional Forensic Laboratories and DNA Centres," the Budget document said.
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