New Delhi, March 2 (PTI): The Special Protection Group (SPG), guarding the Prime Minister and other VVIPs, will soon have an aircraft of its own.

The SPG’s budgetary allocation for next year is Rs 170.79 crore, a 45 per cent jump over the current fiscal. This is the highest-ever increase in the force’s budget.

In 1997-98, it had received a 40 per cent increase. Then, too, P. Chidambaram was the finance minister.

The SPG has already started looking for an aircraft in Europe. It needs one for the advance security liaison teams for VVIP visits, sources said. The force has so far been using aircraft of the Research and Analysis Wing.