Hefty allocation for defence is necessary: Chidambaram

With neighbours like Pakistan not having a friendly attitude towards India, earmarking Rs1,47,000 crore for the defence budget was "absolutely necessary and inevitable", Home minister P Chidambaram has said.

"Had the neighbouring countries been stable, peaceful and were oriented in a friendly manner towards India, our allocation of such a big fund for defence in the budget would not have arisen," he said at a meeting organised by Puducherry PCC last night.

Referring to internal security, Chidambaram said the budget for the current fiscal is expected to be Rs40,000 crore to address the requirements of paramilitary forces and the police.

"Terrorists, divisive forces and Naxals are on the prowl fomenting violence by exploiting and intimidating the poor and have-nots and more particularly the tribal people," he said, adding, allocating such amount becomes necessary "to manage the machinations of these elements".