Social sector will be getting the maximum allocation of Rs 95,919 crore out of the total annual plan outlay for 2008-09. Schemes like Below Poverty Line (BPL) health insurance and national programme for the elderly, improving quality of learning at schools and doubling of allocation for the minority welfare topped the agenda.

The allocation for social services has been stepped up from Rs 75,162 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 95,919 crore, showing a growth of about 28 per cent. The government has pegged the annual play outlay for 2008-09 at Rs 3.76 lakh crores.

“While the total allocation for the education sector would be increased by 20 per cent from Rs 28,674 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 34,400 crore in 2008-09, health sector would get Rs 16,534 crore implying a hike of 15 per cent over the allocation in 2007-08,” Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Friday. In the education sector, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) would be provided Rs 13,100 crore; the Mid-day Meal scheme would receive an allocation of Rs 8,000 crore and Rs 4,554 crore would be earmarked for the secondary education.

Quality of learning

The focus of the SSA would shift from access and infrastructure at the primary level to enhancing retention; improving quality of learning and ensuring access to upper primary classes. The minister proposed to provide Rs 650 crore for a new Model School programme with the aim of establishing 6,000 high quality model schools. The Mid-day meal scheme would be extended to upper primary classes in government and government-aided schools in the country.

Announcing two major interventions in the social sector which would be launched in 2008-09 the minister said Centre would provide Rs 205 crore towards its share of premia for the health insurance scheme for the BPL families. The other intervention would be a National Programme for the Elderly with a plan outlay of Rs 400 crore. As part of the programme, two National Institutes of Ageing, eight regional centres and a department of geriatric medical care would be set up in one medical college/tertiary level hospital in each state during the 11th Plan period.

Responding to the long-standing demand of the Anganwadi workers the minister also announced increasing their monthly remuneration from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500.

School scholarship

Increasing the allocation to the ministry of minority affairs from Rs 500 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 1,000 crore in 2008-09 the minister said a multi-sectoral development plan for each of the 90 minority concentration districts would be drawn up at a cost of Rs 3,780 crore. The allocation in 2008-09 would be Rs 540 crore.

A pre-matric scholarship scheme with an allocation of Rs 80 crore would also be launched for the minority students from the next financial year.

Apart from increasing the allocation to the ministry of women and child development by 24 per cent to Rs 7,200 crore in 2008-09 the budget proposals for the first time included a statement on child-related schemes. The total expenditure on these schemes is of the order of Rs 33,434 crore.