While the government is trying to curtail subsidies and other benefits by targeting them better through measures such as direct benefit transfer (DBT) during the 12th five-year Plan (2012-17) period, the money for 16 flagship schemes has also been raised by 123% with the objective of continuing with the inclusive growth witnessed since 2002.
A senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office said that a Planning Commission study indicated that growth had been more inclusive in the 11th Plan and the money spent on various schemes had started yielding good results. The government, obviously, wants to continue with this in the 12th Plan.
The study shows that overall allocation for the 12th Plan on all 16 flagship schemes has been raised from Rs 6,93,347 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,546,648 crore in the 12th Plan – an increase of 123.07%.
The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) is set to witness the maximum increase of 395% with allocation going up from Rs 21,882 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,08,503 crore in the 12th Plan.
The National Health Mission (NHM) is next in line with an increase of 278%. The money targeted for NHM has gone up to Rs 2,50,000 crore in the 12th Plan from Rs 66,127 crore in the 11th Plan.
The PMO official said that the reason for some of the schemes showing huge increase in allocation was that they had been restructured to cover a larger gamut.
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Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) with 193% increase in allocation and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) with 185% hike are the other schemes where substantial hike is being targeted in the 12th Plan.
The schemes focussed on education – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid Day Meal Scheme would also get substantially higher government funds in the 12th Plan.
The UPA government’s frontline flagship scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) money for 12th Plan is Rs 1,65,500 crore – 15.70% higher than the 11th Plan allocation of Rs 1,43,042 crore.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which has failed to deliver the required results in developing rural roads, has also been given 88.50% higher sum from Rs 65,790 crore in the 11th Plan to Rs 1,24,013 crore in the 12th Plan.
| Major Hike In The Money For Flagship Schemes in 12th Plan | |||
| Flagship Schemes | 11th Plan (In Rs Cr) | 12th Plan (In Rs Cr) | Increase (Per cent) |
| Integrated Child Development Service | 21,882 | 108,503 | 395.86 |
| National Health Mission | 66,127 | 250,000 | 278.06 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission | 34,795 | 101,917 | 192.91 |
| Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana | 22,165 | 63,246 | 185.34 |
| National Rural Livelihood Mission | 11,320 | 29,006 | 156.24 |
| Sarva Shiksah Abhiyan | 77,576 | 192,726 | 148.44 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission | 44,670 | 107,015 | 139.57 |
| Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme | 38,824 | 91,435 | 135.51 |
| Mid Day Meal | 38,490 | 90,155 | 134.23 |
| Backward Region Grant Fund | 35,334 | 76,678 | 117.01 |
| National Social Assistance Program | 24,161 | 48,642 | 101.32 |
| Accelerated Power Development And Reform Programme | 5,697 | 10,830 | 90.1 |
| Pradahan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana | 65,790 | 124,013 | 88.5 |
| Indira Awas Yojana | 41,823 | 63,585 | 52.03 |
| Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act | 143,042 | 165,500 | 15.7 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana | 21,651 | 23,397 | 8.07 |
| Total | 693347 | 1,546,648 | 123.07 |
| Source: Planning Commission | |||