Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Shillong, July 22 2009:
The Central Ministries are allocating 10% of their total budgetary support for the North Eastern region, which houses a large segment of the tribal population.
In addition, these ministries are also required to earmark a minimum of 8% of their budgetary support as Tribal Sub-Plan component, according to Dr Tushar A Chaudhury, Union minister of State for Tribal Affairs.
Informing the Lok Sabha recently, the Union minister said that the Planning Commission is providing budgetary support to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, keeping in view the overall Gross Budgetary support and prioritisation of sector requirements.
Accordingly, the budget allocation for 2008-09 was Rs.2121.00 crores while expenditure was Rs.1805.92 crores, while for 2009-10, the budget estimates are Rs.2705.50 crores.
He said the shortfall in the expenditure has been mainly on account of lack of proposals from the State governments and non-submission of utilization certificates in respect of amounts already released.