Budget 2026: Data Protection Board budget under jumps 5x to Rs 10 crore

Data Protection Board (DPB) under the DPDP Act will work as an adjudicatory body tasked with the enforcement of the provisions of the Act

The Data Protection Board (DPB), under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, has been allocated Rs 10 crore in FY2026-27, a five-fold increase from Rs 2 crore in the previous Budget Estimates.

According to the budget document, the enhanced allocation will support the setting up and functioning of the board, including staffing, infrastructure and administrative expenses.

The DPB is tasked with adjudicating complaints, imposing penalties and ensuring compliance with India's data protection framework.

The increase in funding comes at a time when the government has notified key rules under the DPDP Act and begin active enforcement.

The ministry has also begun discussion with industry on advancing compliance timelines for key provisions of the Act. On November 14, the ministry in two separate notifications announced the Data Protection Board and said it will comprise of four members.

The rules say that the chairperson of the board will be paid a salary of Rs 4.5 lakh a month and other members Rs 4 lakh a month.