The department wise allocations made in the budget make some
noteworthy readings. Some of the key highlights could be noted as below:
- The department wise allocations are highly skewed. Out of the total 67 departments & ministries, the top 7 account for 75.4% of the total budgetary allocation. Next 21 departments are allocated 19.76% of total allocation and the rest 39 departments get a meager 4.84% of the total allocation.
- Food & Agriculture together account for 28.5% of the total budgetary allocation. Out of this 9% of total is allocated alone for the PM Kisan scheme. In FY20RE, 28% of the budget allocation to this item remained unspent.
- Despite the urgent need for raising agriculture productivity and government emphasis on this, the department of agriculture research and education is allocated a paltry 0.3% of the budget.
- Despite strong emphasis on the alternative medicine and promotion of traditional methods , the Ministry of Ayush is allocated a paltry Rs136cr or 0.01% of total allocation.
- The budget speech emphasized on lower use of chemical fertilizers. Accordingly Urea subsidy has been reduced to 5.7% of total allocation from 6.2% FY20RE. However it continues to be 2x of the nutrient based subsidy.
- Despite ambitious target for regional connectivity, the allocation to this head has been reduced as compared to FY20BE.
- The allocation for promotion of industry and internal trade has been reduced to Rs57.27bn against Rs58.34bn in FY20RE.
- Department of Food and PDA is allocated Rs1.21trn in FY21BE. However, only a measely Rs1.9bn are allocated towards capital expenditure by this department. This is depsite hge promise to improve food warehousing.
- The ministry of culture is allocated 0.07% of the total allocation. Despite the big promise, only Rs1.8bn are allocated to development of museums.
- Rs269bn are allocated for procurement of aircrafts and aeroengines by the Air Force.
- Ministry of Electronic and IT is allocated 0.48% of the total allocation. The allocation for promotion of digital payment has been less than halved to Rs2.2bn as compared to Rs4.8bn in FY20RE.
- The Mof Environment, Forst and Climate Change is given 0.12% of the total allocation. Rs12cr are allocated for Hazardous Substance Management, and Rs460 crore for pollution control.
- Allocation for Nepal, under Ministrty of External Affairs has been cut to Rs8bn vs Rs12bn in FY20RE.
- Nothing is provided for bank recapitalization in FY21BE. Rs69.5bn are provided for recapitalization of insurance companies.
- The allocation for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been reduced to 2.5% in FY21BE from 2.8% in FY20RE. 81% of this allocation is twoards metro projects.
- A princely Rs10cr are allocated to Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme (DHRUV). Overall, Department of School Education and Literacy gets 0.06% of total allocations.
- Department of higher education gets 1% of the total allocation. But 50% of this allocation is for Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) and Interest Subsidy and contribution for Guarantee Funds.
- The allocation to National River Conservation Plan has been cut for Rs12bn in FY20RE to Rs8.4bn in FY21BE. Rs60cr are allocated for much talked about implementation of National Water Mission.
- 0.3% of the total allocation is reserved for PM employment generation program (PMEGP).
- 4.28% of the total allocation is appropriated towards LPG subsidy.
- Railways is allocated 8.4% (Rs700bn) of the total budgetary allocations. However only Rs2.7bn is allocated for creating/improving passenger amenities.
- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is allocated Rs916.56bn or 11% of the total allocation. However, a meager Rs3.8bn are given for Research, Training, Studies and Other Road Safety Schemes.
- Department of Science and Technology gets 0.4% of the total allocation.
- Ministry of Tourism gets 0.02% of the allocation. Half of this allocation is towards Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits around specific themes (Swadesh Darshan)
- Ministry of Youth Affairs gets 0.2% of the total allocation. Half of this allocation is towards Khelo India program.
