Budget allocation to Nepal reduced

New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) The government has reduced financial aid to Nepal but increased it for other neighbouring and African countries in the 2007-2008 Budget estimates even as the allocation for the External Affairs Ministry has gone up to Rs 4433.60 crore from last year's Rs 4095.05 crore.

According to the Budget Estimates for 2007-2008 for the External Affairs Ministry, presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram in Lok Sabha today, Rs 1768.55 crore have been allocated for assistance to other developing countries.

These include Rs 770.91 crore to Bhutan, up from Rs 599.51 crore last year, and Rs 138 crore to Nepal, which is less than last year's 210 crore.

Allocations for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka remain the same at Rs 15 crore and 28 crore respectively.

Maldives will have a more than double allocation at Rs 15 crore, up from last year's Rs six crore, Myanmar Rs 80.41 crore, up from last year's 44.57 crore, other developing countries Rs 651.23 crore, up from 591.63 crore in 2006-2007, Central Asia Rs 20 crore against last year's 17 crore and African countries Rs 50 crore as against last year's 20 crore.

The Ministry will get Rs 2258.86 crore for Embassies and Missions abroad, Passport and Emigration, Training, Special Diplomatic Expenditure, International conferences and meetings, entertainment charges and other expenditure.

UNI