The department had shared 6.32 % of the state budget in 2001-02, but the percentage has fallen in the following years, taking it from 4.75% in 2004-05 to 5.38% for the year 2011-12.
Cumulative information from various documents tabled before the state assembly during sessions, have revealed that the budgetary allocation for the home department is not only on a decline, but even the outlay has not been fully utilised by the department year after year.
The department had shared 6.32 % of the state budget in 2001-02, but the percentage has fallen in the following years, taking it from 4.75% in 2004-05 to 5.38% for the year 2011-12.
The utilisation of the funds allotted in the budget by the department is also dismal, except for two years post the 26/11 terror attack in 2008. In 2008-09, the home department spent Rs5,084 crore and Rs6,555 crore the following year, against the actual provision of Rs5,335 crore and Rs6,552 crore respectively.
However, before that, in 2007-08, the department spent Rs3,912 crore against the provision of Rs5,351 crore, while in 2006-07, it could spend only Rs4,451 crore against the provision of Rs5,186 crore.
A report prepared by Samarthan, an NGO working in the field of budget studies, has states that of the 172 sub-prisons at district levels, nearly 59 are not functional. Similarly, the grade II jails at the district level are overcrowded by 20% of their inmate capacities. Even the major jails in the state, Yerawada and Arthur Road jails are overcrowded by 41.85% and 123% respectively.
Thane jail has 125% more inmates than its capacity while the percentage in Aurangabad jail is 55.26%. Interestingly, the newly opened Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai has 70% less inmates than its capacity. Pathetic security and living conditions are the reasons given for the below capacity occupancy.
Similarly, the percentage of pending or unresolved cases is also on the rise in the state. In 2005, the percentage of pending cases was 26.8%, which increased to 30.9% in 2007 and 32.5% in 2009.
However, home minister RR Patil has denied that the crime rates in the state and Mumbai have increased. According to him, visible rise in the rate has been due to the change in strategy in the department, where it was decided to register all cases, even minor crimes.
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