Rs. 953,231 crore expenditure proposed for 2009-10

New Delhi, Feb 16 (ANI): In the Interim Budget 2009-10, the total expenditure has been proposed at Rs. 953,231 crore. Of this, Rs. 285,149 crore is under Plan and Rs. 668,082 crore under the Non-Plan sector.

The total Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for the plan is 17.16 per cent higher in nominal terms than the GBS Plan for the BE 2008-09. The budgetary support to the plan sector for 2009-10 has been increased for the Departments of Rural Development, Road Transport and Highways, Railways, Information Technology and Industrial Policy and Promotion and the Ministry of Power, with a view to maintain the fiscal tempo to address the economic slow down and meet the requirements of rural and infrastructure development.

An allocation of Rs.1, 31,317 crore has been made for the flagship programmes which directly impact 'Aam Aadmi'. Rs. 30,100 crore has been allocated to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in 2009-10. The scheme has been extended to all the districts of the country and provided employment of 138.76 crore person days, covering 3.51 crore households during 2008-09.

For the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, an allocation of Rs.13,100 crore have been proposed. About 98 per cent of our habitations have been covered by primary schools and the focus now is on improving the quality of elementary education. An allocation of Rs.8,000 crore has been made for the Mid-Day Meals Scheme.

An allocation of Rs.6, 705 crore have been proposed for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in the country. Rs.11, 842 crore have been allocated for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Under the Mission, 386 projects amounting to Rs.39, 000 crore had been sanctioned as of December 31, 2008.

The Bharat Nirman, the time bound plan for building rural infrastructure, has been allocated Rs.40,900 crore for 2009-10. During 2005-09, the allocation to this programme has been increased by 261 per cent.

The National Rural Health Mission has been allocated Rs.12,070 crore. The programme aims to bring about uniformity in the quality of preventive and curative health care in rural areas.

The Rajiv Gandhi Rural Drinking Water Mission is envisaged to supply safe drinking water to uncovered habitations and slipped back habitations. An allocation of Rs.7,400 crore has been made for this programme for the year 2009-10. Rs.1,200 crore have been assigned for Total Rural Sanitation programme. (ANI)