Union budget: Here's how much BJP govt allocates for Minority Affairs

The budget 2023 allocates Rs 3,097.60 crore for Ministry of Minority Affairs.

New Delhi, Feb 01: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's 2023 budget signalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP government's intent to maintain stability while encouraging balanced economic growth.

It seeks to build on the roadmap laid down by previous budgets, with a focus on inclusive development, fostering growth and job creation while keeping the macro-economy in a stable yet growth-oriented mode.

However, how much has the BJP government allocated to the development of minorities this year?

The BJP government has allocated Rs 3,097.60 crore in the 2023-24 Union Budget for the welfare of minorities, Rs 484.94 crore higher than the revised figures of the previous fiscal for the Ministry of Minority Affairs, according to a report.

In the previous budget, Sitharaman had proposed to allot Rs 5,020.50 crore, but it was revised to Rs 2,612.66 crore.

In the 2023 Union Budget, the government has allocated Rs 433 crore for the pre-matric scholarship scheme (Rs 556.82 crore in 2022) and Rs 1,065 crore (Rs 515.82 crore) for the post-matric scholarship.

Sitharaman's budget proposed to allocate Rs 540 crore for Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS), a skilling initiative from MoMA focussing on the skilling, entrepreneurship and leadership training requirements of the minority and artisan communities across the country.

This scheme aims to benefit approximately 9 lakh candidates.

Of the proposed allocation of Rs 3097.60 crore, the budget allocates Rs 600 crore for PMJYK (Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram), a Scheme designed to address the development deficits of the identified Minority Concentration Areas.

For introducing modern subjects in madarsas, teacher's Training and augmenting school infrastructure in minority institutions, the budget allocates Rs 10 crore. In the last two fiscal years, the government had earmarked Rs 60 crore and Rs 161.53 crore, respectively.

Although the overall budget has come down this year, the government, instead of allocating money without utilising it, has decided to allocate an amount that can be utilised fully. The Centre has allocated 18 per cent higher than the revised estimates in the current fiscal year.