बड़े बजट की कुछ छोटी बातें

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

It was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on May 1st, 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. Under this scheme, 5 Cr LPG connections will be provided to BPL families with a support of Rs.1600 per connection in the next 3 years. Ensuring women’s empowerment, especially in rural India, the connections will be issued in the name of women of the households. Rs. 8000 Cr. has been allocated towards the implementation of the scheme. Identification of the BPL families will be done through Socio-Economic Caste Census Data.

Reality check:-  Budget estimate ( BE) for this scheme was 2500 crores for current year while revised estimate ( RE) is 2251 crore. It means Govt either do not have a fund or govt do not have administrative capability to spend the fund for the one of the most debated scheme. I don’t remember any election speech where PM Modi didn't mention about this scheme.

Women Empowerment:-

The Ministry Women and Child Development have promoted 4745 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under its project ‘Priyadarshini’ ( Launched in 2013) . The pilot project namely Women Empowerment and Livelihood Programme in Mid- Gangetic Plains- ‘Priyadarshini’- is being administered by the Ministry in 13 blocks spread across 5 districts in Uttar Pradesh and 2 districts in Bihar.

Reality check:- Though it mentions in Budget document of the year 2018 but there is not a single rupee spend on this scheme since 2016. All three box of the year 2016,2017 and 2018 showing empty.

Mid Day Meal

The Midday Meal Scheme is a school meal programme of the Government of India designed to improve the nutritional status of school-age children nationwide.

India has a “serious” hunger problem and ranks 100th out of 119 countries on the global hunger index — behind North Korea, Bangladesh, and Iraq but ahead of Pakistan, according to a report. The country’s serious hunger level is driven by high child malnutrition and underlines the need for stronger commitment to the social sector, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said in its report.

Reality check: - Allocation for MDM for last year was 10,000 crore and this year it got an increase of 5% and govt earmark 10,500 crores. If you adjust this figure with inflation of 5.51% then the MDM allocation got not a single rupee hike though our nutrition standards fall miserably.

Urbanisation and Pollution:-

At least 2.5 million people in India died early because of pollution in 2015, more than any other country in the world, according to a study by the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health. There are four Indian cities in list of top 10 citie the in world having highest pollution of the PM 2.5.

Quoting from Govt source: “Promotion of public transport network of metro, buses, e-rickshaws and promotion of car pooling, Pollution Under Control, lane discipline, vehicle maintenance; to reduce air pollution.

Reality check: - Govt slashed budget to metro rail to 14264 crore form earlier budget of Rs.17810 crore.

PM Gramin sadak Yojna :-

PMGSY was launched in 2000 to provide “all-weather” road connectivity to “unconnected villages” in India. A total of 1,78,000 habitations were selected where roads were to be built. About 47,000 habitations continue to stay “unconnected”.

Reality check: - Govt allocated Rs.19000 crore for this scheme but revised estimate reduced to Rs.17000 crore. Cut of the Rs.2000 crore. Secondly, Finance minister said : Third phase of PMGSY will connect rural and agricultural market. It’s really good and ambitious target but Finance minister earmark just Rs.19,000 crore for the that.