The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declared 2024 as a “year of historic reforms,” emphasizing efforts aimed at providing ‘ease of justice for all.’ The ministry highlighted significant achievements, including the implementation of three new criminal laws and the enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Additionally, the MHA underscored its resolute efforts in combating Naxalism and maintaining a strict stance against drug trafficking and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
As 2024 draws to a close, the MHA released a statement outlining its proactive stance in responding to disasters. During the fiscal year 2024-25, the central government disbursed ₹16,566 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to 12 states and ₹4,808.32 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to 18 states. Furthermore, the government allocated ₹1,610.454 crore from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to 12 states and ₹646.546 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to 7 states.
A High-Level Committee approved funding for six urban flood management projects totaling ₹2,514.36 crore, aimed at enhancing infrastructure in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune. Additionally, three projects focused on the “Expansion and Modernisation of Fire Services in the States” were sanctioned for Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, amounting to ₹810.64 crore.
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of eliminating remnants of colonial rule, the MHA has undertaken the task of replacing British-era laws, such as the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, with the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. These newly formulated laws, which came into effect on July 1, 2024, are deeply rooted in Indian jurisprudence and prioritize justice within the criminal justice system for the first time since independence.
The MHA also launched several transformative initiatives focusing on security, women’s rights, and the inclusion of marginalized communities, further propelling India towards a promising new era. Among its ambitious goals is a commitment to a drug-free nation, highlighted by the successful seizure of a significant quantity of illegal drugs through a joint operation involving the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Navy, and the Gujarat Police. This effort resulted in the confiscation of 3,132 kg of drugs, along with substantial hauls of methamphetamine and cocaine in various locations, including a bust of an international drug trafficking cartel in Gujarat.
