Social Sector Budget: Allocations increased but rural development left out

The sector saw its 2020-21 net allocation cut by more than Rs 2,500 cr compared to the revised estimates of 2019-20

The Union Budget 2020-21 has increased expenditure allocations for almost all social sector ministries, compared to the budgeted as well as the revised estimates for 2019-20. However, there is a key exception.

The Department of Rural Development, under which comes some of the biggest flagship schemes of the Narendra Modi government, saw its 2020-21 net allocation cut by more than Rs 2,500 crore compared to the revised estimates of 2019-20. The FY21 budgeted allocation for Rural Development is Rs 1.20 trillion. For FY20, the revised estimate was Rs 1.23 trillion and the budgeted estimate was Rs 1.18 trillion.

The Department