The Government of India has approved the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES) with a total financial outlay of ₹2254.43 crore for implementation from financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29. The scheme is being implemented centrally for creation and strengthening of forensic infrastructure at identified locations across the country.
Under the scheme, ₹1309.13 crore has been allocated for setting up 09 campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Khordha (Odisha), Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. Additionally, ₹860.3 crore has been allocated for establishing 07 Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Khordha (Odisha), Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala. Six of these CFSLs will be co-located with NFSU campuses in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
So far, ₹119.09 crore has been released and utilized under the scheme for both NFSU campuses and CFSLs. Land has been allotted for NFSU campus/CFSL in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Khordha (Odisha), Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). The NFSU campuses are currently operational from transit buildings in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Khordha (Odisha), Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), and Jaipur (Rajasthan). There is no proposal for setting up a CFSL in Andhra Pradesh.