HRD Ministry to get Rs2.31 lakh crore over 3 years: Finance Minister

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the Human Resource Development ministry would be allocated Rs2.31 lakh crore over the next three years to set up infrastructure for implementing the Right to Education.

"The HRD minister has said that Rs2,31,000 crore will berequired for implementing RTE in the next three years forsetting up schools, appointment of teachers and building ofinfrastructure. I said that the money will be provided,"Mukherjee said at a seminar here.Mukherjee's comments come against the backdrop of agovernment decision recently to embark upon a nationwideconsultation process with stakeholders to overcome teethingtroubles in implementing the Right To Education (RTE) Act.The first meeting will be held on August 14, in which allissues pertaining to implementation of the law will bediscussed, HRD minister Kapil Sibal had told reporters hererecently."There are many issues in implementation of the RTE law.We are meeting the principals and all the stakeholders onAugust 14 to find out the problems and discuss the way out,"he had said.Mukherjee also said at the seminar on 'Economic vision ofIndian National Congress' in New Delhi that the government wouldprovide legal teeth to the Right to Health and Right to Foodthrough a legal enactment.He said providing such rights and budgetary support toimplement those programmes were made possible because of the economic growth that India has achieved over the last fewyears."It was not possible in the Eighties. But now, I am confident to provide budgetary support for bringing in an all-inclusive growth," Mukherjee said.The government was also determined to give 25 kilos ofrice or wheat to the BPL families at a pre-determined price ofRs3 per kilo irrespective of the market rates, he added.Mukherjee said the Congress had always set the economicagenda of the country irrespective of its merits or demerits.