Budget 2016: Social Justice Ministry allocated Rs 7,350 crore

Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry was on Monday allocated Rs 7,350 crore in the Union Budget for the next fiscal, an increase of 11.69% over the last budget.

The Tribal Affairs Ministry also got a higher budgetary allocation of Rs 4,826 crore, a hike of nearly Rs 253 crore.

Budgetary allocation for Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2015-16 was Rs 6,580 crore while for the Tribal Ministry was Rs 4,573.80 crore.

The Social Justice and Empowerment Department has received a hike of over Rs 596.5 crore and the Department of Disability Affairs has received a raise of nearly Rs 173 crore in 2016-17, compared to the revised estimates for 2015-16.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has been earmarked Rs 6,565.95 crore, while the Department of Disability Affairs has been earmarked Rs 783.56 crore.

The Self Employment Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers has been earmarked Rs 9 crore.

The allocation for total Welfare of Persons with Disabilities is up by over Rs 160 crore this year, which has been allocated Rs 527.93 crore.

Allocation for Aids and Appliances for differently-abled people has also been increased to Rs 117 crore.

The objective of Aids and Appliances scheme is to provide grants-in-aid to various implementing agencies to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable and modern aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.