New Delhi: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a financial outlay of Rs 2,254.43 crore for the period from 2024-2025 to 2028-2029 for the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES). This will be provisioned by the ministry of home affairs from its own budget.
Under this scheme, establishment of campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and Central Forensic Science Laboratories in the country, and enhancement of existing infrastructure of NFSU’s Delhi campus, have been given a nod.
PM Modi had laid the foundation of the NFSU in Gandhinagar, a first-of-its-kind state forensic institution in 2009, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. It was upgraded to a university in 2020. ThePrint had visited the Gandhinagar campus last year and reported how NFSU had set up nine campuses in the previous three years and planned to have five more going forward.
“The Government of India is committed to put in place an effective and efficient criminal justice system, based on scientific and timely forensic examination of evidence. The scheme underscores the importance of high quality, trained forensic professionals in the timely and scientific examination of evidence for an efficient criminal justice process, leveraging the advancements in technology & evolving manifestations and methods of crime,” a government statement read.
The approval has come in the light of the impending enactment of the new criminal laws, which mandate forensic investigation for offences involving punishment of seven years or more. The laws are expected to significantly increase the workload of the forensic science laboratories (FSLs) across India, which are already reeling with pendencies.
Home Minister Amit Shah has also iterated in the past the need to make forensic examination compulsory for all cases that warrant punishment of seven years or more. This, he said, was to improve the conviction rate in the country.
“To meet this heightened demand, significant investment and enhancement in national forensic infrastructure is imperative. The establishment of additional off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and new Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) would address the shortage of trained forensic manpower, alleviate the caseload and pendency of forensic laboratories, and align with the Government of India’s goal of securing a high conviction rate of more than 90%,” the statement noted.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)