IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Feb 2: The Union Budget 2017-18, presented in the Parliament on Wednesday, was the fourth national budget of the Narendra Modi government at the centre. The growth in the budgetary allocation for Minority welfare has not been steady through these years.
In Feb 2014, the then Congress-led UPA government presented interim budget which proved to be its last one as in the General Elections three months later (in May 2014), it was dethroned by the BJP-led NDA alliance and then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of the country. In the Feb 2014 interim budget, the Congress-led UPA regime had allocated Rs 3,711 crores for Minority Welfare, that was an increase of 5.38% compared to the last allocation of Rs 3,511 crores. But in its first full budget soon after taking charge (May 2014), the Modi government made a cut of over 16% in the budgetary allocation for the Minority welfare. It allocated only Rs 3089 crores, that was Rs 622 crores less than the previous allocation.
However, in the next year budget (2015-16), the BJP-led NDA made an increase of over 17% and allocated Rs 3738 crores. But in 2016-17 budget, it made an increase of only 2%. In the latest budget (2017-180, however, the government has added Rs 368 crores to the last year’s allocation making the increase at 8.77%.
Budgetary Allocation For Minority Welfare
Govt.
Year
Allocation
Growth
Congress-led UPA
2013-14
Rs 3,511 crores
Congress-led UPA
2014-15 (Interim budget)
Rs 3,711 crores
5.38% (+)
BJP-led NDA
2014-15
Rs 3089 crores
16.76 (-)
BJP-led NDA
2015-16
Rs 3738 crores
17.36% (+)
BJP-led NDA
2016-17
Rs 3827 crores
2.32% (+)
BJP-led NDA
2017-18
Rs 4195 crores
8.77% (+)
Appreciating the increase in the current budget, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it “will help in socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities.”
“After many years, Minority Affairs Ministry Budget increased by more than Rs 395 cr. It is Rs 4195 cr for 2017-18 from Rs 3800 cr in 2016-17,” tweeted Naqvi soon after the budget on Wednesday.
“Significant budget increase will help in socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities. Thanks to PM @narendramodi & FM @arunjaitley,” he further said.
