Budget Byte: Education scheme 'Samagra Shiksha' expenditure fell in 2020

This daily series of graphs provides context to some of the critical issues relating to the Union Budget on February 1

Education scheme expenditure fell in 2020

Samagra Shiksha is an integrated centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) focused on pre-school to senior secondary level. Release of funds for the scheme has been slow in 2020, according to data by think-tank Accountability Initiative. Even states spent only a minor share of the approved funds till October.

Most states allocated less towards education in the first place

The slower spending by states came even as the denominator shrunk. States scuttled their education budgets, which included the amount transferred by the Centre under Samagra Shiksha in 2020. Education may become a casualty of the Covid-led changes in spending pattern, but might resurface as a priority area in the upcoming budgets.