Govt proposes to raise Plan expenditure by 18%

The government on Friday proposed to increase the Plan expenditure for 2012-13 to Rs5,21,025 crore, up around 18% from the Budget estimates for the current fiscal.

However, the jump in the Plan expenditure for 2012-13 is 22.13% when compared with the revised estimates of the same for current fiscal at Rs4,26,604 crore.

The Budget 2011-12 estimated such expenditure at Rs4,41,547 crore.

The Plan expenditure is the government spending on social sector schemes such as Bharat Nirman, rural employment guarantee and National Rural Health Mission. Besides, it includes Centre's assistance to various states and Union Territories Plans.

Presenting the Budget 2012-13 in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, "The Plan expenditure for 2012-13 is Rs5,21,025 crore, which is 18% higher than budget estimates of 2011-12. This is higher than 15% increase projected in the Approach to 12th Plan (2012-7)."

Expressing satisfaction over the Plan spending in 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), Mukerhjee said, "I am happy to inform the members that in Eleventh Plan, we have been able to meet 99% of the total outlay."

The non-Plan Expenditure for 2012-13 is budgeted at Rs9,69,900 crore, which is 8.7% higher than the revised estimates. It is 18.88% higher than the budget estimates for the current fiscal.

The increase in the non-Plan expenditure, Mukherjee said, "is mainly on account of higher provision for major subsidies. While making adequate provision of funding the desirable subsidies, as indicated earlier, I am determined to contain the increasing subsidy burden through measures including improved targeting".

He further said, "The total Plan and non-Plan transfered to states and union territories including direct transfers to states and district level implementing agencies are Rs 3,65,216 crore in budget estimates of 2012-13."

These direct transfers includes grants of Rs18,665 crore in 2012-13 to local bodies as per the recommendation of the 13th Finance Commission," he added.

The total expenditure proposed for 2012-13 is Rs14,90,925 crore, an increase of 18.5% over the Budget Estimates for 2011-12.

However the total budgeted expenditure for 2012-13 is 13.05% higher than the revised estimate for the current fiscal.