SPG gets 27 per cent hike in budgetary allocation

NEW DELHI: The Special Protection Group, responsible for the security of Narendra Modi besides the Gandhi family and former Prime Ministers, has seen a 27 per cent hike in its budget for this fiscal.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs 408.98 crore to the SPG as compared to Rs 321.24 crore during 2013-14.

The SPG is an elite security force, whose nearly 4,000 personnel are drawn from various paramilitary forces and police organisations.

SPG provides proximate security to the prime minister, former prime ministers and their families besides guarding Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka.

Jaitley has also increased the budgetary allocation for the Intelligence Bureau by nearly Rs 70 crore.

Rs 1,126.84 crore has been allocated in the Budget, presented in Parliament today, as compared Rs 1,196.43 crore last fiscal.