2/24/2015

SocialspendneedsBudgetboostTheHindu

BusinessBudget
Published:February24,201502:34IST|Updated:February24,201512:46IST
BUDGET2015

SocialspendneedsBudgetboost
RukminiS.

DelayshavegrownonthegroundforschemessuchastheMahatmaGandhiNationalRuralEmploymentGuaranteeScheme,
accordingtodatafromAccountabilityInitiative,whichmonitorspublicfinances.

TheHindu

Allocationhasremainedsamesince2007.

Socialsectorspendinghasflatlinedoverthepastfewyears,andmassivespendingexpansionsarerequiredtokeep
PrimeMinisterNarendraModiskeypromises,Budgetdatashow.
Socialsectorspendingexpenditureonhealth,education,watersupply,sanitationandhousingamongothershas
doubledoverthepast10yearsasaproportionoftheUniongovernmentstotalexpenditure.Butthebigexpansion
camebetween2004and2007,andmoreorlessflattenedataround12percentofthetotalexpendituresincethen,
showdatafromtheEconomicCensusforvariousyears.
Socialsectorspendingas%oftotalCentralGovernmentexpenditure

12

10

200405

200506

200607

200708

200809

200910

201011

201112

201213

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2/24/2015

SocialspendneedsBudgetboostTheHindu

InitsfirstBudgetin2014,theNationalDemocraticAlliancegovernmentheldallocationsformostflagshipUnited
ProgressiveAllianceschemesclosetowhattheoutgoinggovernmentmadeinitslastBudget,aninterimonepriorto
theLokSabhaelections.
However,thereleaseoffundshassloweddownsharplyforsomeschemessuchastheSwachhBharatAbhiyan(earlier
knownasNirmalBharatAbhiyan),whiledelayshavegrownonthegroundforotherssuchastheMahatmaGandhi
NationalRuralEmploymentGuaranteeScheme,showdatafromAccountabilityInitiative,whichmonitorspublic
finances.AseniorofficialoftheRuralDevelopmentMinistry,however,attributedthistotheusualfrictionduring
changeingovernment,whichtheofficialsaidwouldeasesoon.

Allocationin
201314(Rs.
crore)

MGNREGS

Allocationin
201415(Rs.
crore)

SBM

NRHM

BRGF
0

10000

20000

30000

40000

DataonNHRMuptoSeptember2014
Ifthegovernmentistofollowthroughonitspromises,theUnionBudgettobepresentedonSaturdayshouldbea
breakfromthepast.
UrbanDevelopmentMinisterM.VenkaiahNaidupeggedthecostoftheSwachhBharatAbhiyaanatRs.2lakhcrore
overfiveyears,asumyettobeformallybudgeted.ShouldtheBudgetreflectthisexpenditure,anallocationofRs.
40,000crorewillberequired,whichis10timestheallocationlastyearandtwoandahalftimestheentireBudgetfor
theDrinkingWaterandSanitationMinistryfor201415.
Keywords:NarendraModigovernment,Budget2015,Budgetdatasocialsectorspending
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