By IANS,
New Delhi : Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday proposed an additional sum of Rs.430 crore (Rs.4.3 billion), over and above the provisions in the interim budget, for the modernization of state police forces and also earmarked Rs.2,284 crore (Rs.22.84 billion) for construction of fences, roads and flood lights along the international borders.
Presenting the financial budget for 2009-10 in parliament, Mukherjee said that paramilitary personnel will also get special risk/hardship allowances at par with the defence forces.
He also announced launching of a massive housing programme to build 100,000 dwelling units for personnel of the paramilitary forces.
Senior paramilitary officials were pleased with Mukherjee’s budgetary allocations for building houses for the personnel, but said they were expecting one-rank one-pension scheme for themselves.
“We were all expecting that the defence forces will get one-rank one-pension scheme and the same would be extended to us,” a senior paramilitary official said.