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It may tom-tom its achievements on improving the lot of the poor before it heads for the general elections, but the UPA-II Government spent about 15 per cent less on the social sector than it had budgeted for, it appears.
Against the Budget estimates of ₹1,93,043 crore for 2013-14 on the social sector, the Government spent ₹1,64,393 crore, according to the revised estimates for the year. The figures do not include rural housing.
Interestingly, for the next year, the outgoing UPA-II Government, has put the ball in the new Government’s court by proposing an even lower outlay of ₹75,109 crore. Incidentally, opinion polls have predicted a rout for the Congress-led government in the general election slated for April-May.
On Monday, the interim budget presented to Parliament by P Chidambaram proposed no hike in Plan expenditure, which may affect allocations to social sector schemes as well State Plans in the coming year.
Citing pressure due to the burgeoning fiscal deficit, Chidambaram said, “In order to sustain the pace of Plan expenditure, I have decided to keep Plan expenditure in 2014-15 at the same level at which it was budgeted in 2013-14. I have provided ₹5,55,322 crore for Plan expenditure.”
The move, say critics, could lead effectively mean lower allocations for key social sector schemes, such as Bharat Nirman, rural employment guarantee scheme and National Rural Health Mission.
At a macro level, the interim budget 2014-15 projected revised estimates of Plan expenditure at ₹4,75,532 crore for 2013-14. For the next financial year starting April 1, it kept the Budget estimates of Plan expenditure unchanged at ₹5,55,322 crore.
Last year, too, Chidambaram had cut Plan expenditure to ₹4,29,187 crore in the revised estimates from the budgeted ₹5,21,025 crore for 2012-13.
“If there are any shortcomings, they can be addressed when the regular Budget is presented. There is enough flexibility in the expenditure budget to make necessary changes in the allocations within the overall resource envelope,” Chidambaram said in his speech.
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