Why in news?
Over the past three years, over 50% of existing central government-sponsored schemes have been discontinued, subsumed, revamped or rationalised into other schemes.
What is the issue about?
- Subsuming of schemes - Under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, there are just 3 schemes now out of 19 schemes.
- Mission Shakti
- SAMARTHYA (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Creche, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana/ Gender Budgeting)
- SAMBAL (One Stop Centre, Mahila Police Volunteer, Women's helpline/Swadhar/Ujjawala/Widow Homes etc.)
- Mission Vatsalya – (Child Protection Services and Child Welfare Services)
- Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 - (Umbrella ICDS - Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, National Creche Scheme)
- Under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, there are now 3 out of 20 schemes.
- Krishonnati Yojana
- Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperatives
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
To know more about Government Schemes, click here
- Discontinuation of schemes - The Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairy has ended 3 schemes which include Dairying through Cooperatives, National Dairy Plan-II, etc.
- Lack of information - There is little information on the National Project on Organic Farming or the National Agroforestry Policy.
- Funding cuts - The Nirbhaya fund (2013) which focuses to improve the public safety of women in public spaces was allocated Rs. 1,000 annually (2013-16), but remains largely unspent.
- The fertilizer subsidies have been in decline with NPK fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) allocation 35% lower than revised estimates in FY21-22.
- The allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) went down by approximately 25% in the FY22-23 Budget, with the allocated budget at Rs. 73,000 crore.
- In the case of Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (provision of immediate employment and livelihood opportunities to rural poor), Rs. 39,293 crore was spent against an announced budget of Rs. 50,000 crore.
- Delay in salaries - For Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), there have been delays in salaries for up to 6 months.
- Ignoring the biodiversity - Funding for wildlife habitat development under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has declined.
- Allocations for Project Tiger have been slashed.
What is the need of the hour?
- Rather than downsizing government schemes and cutting the funding, better public service delivery should be ensured.
- There is a need to build capacity for an efficient civil service to meet today’s challenges - providing a corruption-free welfare system, running a modern economy and providing better public goods.
References
- The Hindu│ The dismal case of slashing schemes and cutting funds
- PIB│All major schemes of WCD Ministry
