123% jump in money allocated for UPA flagship schemes

Govt managers project Rs 15.46 lakh crore allocation in 12th Plan to push inclusive growth further

While the government is trying to curtail subsidies and other benefits by targeting them better through measures such as direct benefit transfer (DBT) during the 12th five-year Plan (2012-17) period, the money for 16 flagship schemes has also been raised by 123% with the objective of continuing with the inclusive growth witnessed since 2002.

A senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office said that a Planning Commission study indicated that growth had been more inclusive in the 11th Plan and the money spent on various schemes had started yielding good results. The government, obviously, wants to continue with this in the 12th Plan.

The study shows that overall allocation for the 12th Plan on all 16 flagship schemes has been raised from Rs 6,93,347 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,546,648 crore in the 12th Plan – an increase of 123.07%.

The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) is set to witness the maximum increase of 395% with allocation going up from Rs 21,882 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,08,503 crore in the 12th Plan.

The National Health Mission (NHM) is next in line with an increase of 278%. The money targeted for NHM has gone up to Rs 2,50,000 crore in the 12th Plan from Rs 66,127 crore in the 11th Plan.

The PMO official said that the reason for some of the schemes showing huge increase in allocation was that they had been restructured to cover a larger gamut.

Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) with 193% increase in allocation and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) with 185% hike are the other schemes where substantial hike is being targeted in the 12th Plan.

The schemes focussed on education – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid Day Meal Scheme would also get substantially higher government funds in the 12th Plan.

The UPA government’s frontline flagship scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) money for 12th Plan is Rs 1,65,500 crore – 15.70% higher than the 11th Plan allocation of Rs 1,43,042 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which has failed to deliver the required results in developing rural roads, has also been given 88.50% higher sum from Rs 65,790 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,24,013 crore in the 12th Plan.

Major Hike In The Money For Flagship Schemes in 12th Plan
Flagship Schemes	11th Plan (In Rs Cr)	12th Plan (In Rs Cr)	Increase (Per cent)
Integrated Child Development Service	21,882	108,503	395.86
National Health Mission	66,127	250,000	278.06
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission	34,795	101,917	192.91
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana	22,165	63,246	185.34
National Rural Livelihood Mission	11,320	29,006	156.24
Sarva Shiksah Abhiyan	77,576	192,726	148.44
Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission	44,670	107,015	139.57
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme	38,824	91,435	135.51
Mid Day Meal	38,490	90,155	134.23
Backward Region Grant Fund	35,334	76,678	117.01
National Social Assistance Program	24,161	48,642	101.32
Accelerated Power Development And Reform Programme	5,697	10,830	90.1
Pradahan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana	65,790	124,013	88.5
Indira Awas Yojana	41,823	63,585	52.03
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act	143,042	165,500	15.7
Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana	21,651	23,397	8.07
Total	693347	1,546,648	123.07
Source: Planning Commission