Budget 2021: Centre allocates ₹73K cr to MGNREGA for next fiscal
Live MintThe Centre has allocated ₹73,000 crore to the rural employment guarantee programme MGNREGA for the next fiscal 2021-22, substantially lower than the actual expenditure of ₹1.11 lakh crore in the current fiscal which included an additional ₹40,000 crore for the scheme given by the government in the wake of the pandemic's impact on the economy. As per a detailed financial statement, the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday has allocated ₹73,000 crore, over 34% less than the revised estimate of ₹1,11,500 crore for 2020-21. For all other major flagship welfare schemes under the Rural Development Ministry, the allocation for the 2021-22 fiscal increased from the revised estimate for the current 2020-21 fiscal. The allocation for the rural roads scheme -- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana -- increased to ₹15,000 crore from ₹13,700 crore, whereas the funds allocated to the National Rural Livelihood Mission jumped by more than 48% to ₹13,677 crore from ₹9,210 crore in the period under review.