Plan Allocation for Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment enhanced by 80%

The Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, while presenting the Union Budget 2010-11, in the Lok Sabha today, announced that the Plan outlay of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has been enhanced by 80% to Rs. 4500 crore, supporting programmes being implemented for target population groups covering Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes,persons with disabilities, senior citizens and victims of alcoholism and substance abuse. With this enhancement, the Ministry will be able to revise the rates of scholarship under its post-matric scholarship schemes for SCs and OBC students, which is long overdue, he added. The allocation will also assist in establishing an Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre for the benefit of the hearing impaired. District Disability Rehabilitation Centres are being set up in 50 additional districts along with two composite regional centres for persons with disabilities.

The Finance Minister also announced that the Plan outlay for Women and Child Development is being stepped up by almost 50%. The ICDS platform is being expanded for effective implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Adolescent Girls. A mission for the empowerment of women is being set up.

Source : Equity Bulls

Keywords