Pre-Budget Analysis

Source –  Centre for Policy Research and Accountability Initiative

In the wake of the presentation of the Union Budget, the Centre for Policy Research and Accountability Initiative has released its 15th volume of the Pre-Budget Analysis of the flagship schemes. These are centrally sponsored schemes where the center and states are responsible for their implementation. States are thereby responsible to implement these schemes and make them reach the last mile. 

Following are some of the key highlights of the flagship schemes as part of the Pre-Budget Analysis by the Center for Policy Research. 

Samagra Shiksha (By Mridusmita Bordoloi, Avani Kapur, Sidharth Santhosh)

Samagra Shiksha is a government of India’s program to implement the Right to Education Act and provisions of the National Education Policy 2020. It is a centrally sponsored scheme where funds are shared between GoI and States in a ratio of 60:40.  

Allocation and Expenditure 

1. Total Allocation of Budget to Ministry of Education – INR 1,04,278 crore  
2. Allocation to Samagra Shiksha Scheme – INR 37,831 crore 
3. Allocation of Funds to States – 51% 
4. Expenditure utilized by States as a share of the approved budget – 22%

Allocation of approved budgets by the States 

1. Uttar Pradesh allocated 91% of its budget to Elementary Education 
2. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh allocated 48% of their budget to Secondary Education 
3. Comparatively, the most budget allocated to Teacher Education was by Uttarakhand (7%) and Kerala (3%).  

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (By Avani Kapur, Tanya Rana, Ritwik Shukla)

This scheme is restructured by collating Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) into Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. For the Supplementary Nutrition Program, the funds are shared equally and salaries are shared in a 25:75 ratio. The scheme needs Aadhaar verification to avail of the benefits.  

Allocation and Expenditure

1. Total Allocation of Budget to Ministry of Women and Child Development – INR 25,172 crore 
2. Allocation to Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 – INR 20,263 crore 
3. Allocation of Funds to States – 94% 
4. Expenditure utilized by States as a share of the approved budget – 66%

Variation in States 

1. Adhaar Verification – 56% of eligible citizens were Aadhaar verified with Tamil Nadu being the highest (97%) and Nagaland the least (2%). 
2. Goa provides the highest additional honoraria to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers while Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya provide no additional honoraria. The GoI pays INR 3000-4500 per month to these workers. 

Food Subsidy and the National Food Security Act  (By Jenny Susan John, Avani Kapur, Ria Kasliwal)

Under the Act, Nutritional Security is the right where quality food at affordable prices is to be provided to two-thirds of India’s population. Funds are borne by GoI and the state governments will have the option to choose between direct procurement or opting for centralized procurement from the Food Corporation of India. 

Allocation and Expenditure

1. Total Allocation of Budget to Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution – INR 2,98,033 crore 
2. Allocation to Food Subsidy – INR 2,76,897 crore 

Grains Storage and Allocation 

1. The stock of food grains remains considerably high. In 2021, quarterly stocks available were twice than the required stocking norms. 
2. Total food grain allocation reached a record high of 1,002 lakh tons in 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Center for Policy Research also analyzed the budget allocations of Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana Gramin.

You can read the entire analysis of these schemes in their Pre-Budget Analysis here!