National Social Assistance Programme & Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - Indian Budget 2006 – 2007 (29 - 33)

National Social Assistance Programme

29. Old age pensions are granted under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) to destitute persons above the age of 65 years at Rs.75 per month. This is woefully inadequate. I propose to increase the pension to Rs.200 per month. I have provided Rs.1,430 crore for 2006-07 and additional funds, if required, will be provided during the course of the year. I would urge State Governments to make an equal contribution from their resources so that a destitute pensioner would get at least Rs.400 per month. I also propose to work with the Department of Posts and the banks to establish, within two years, a system under which the pension will be credited directly to the account of the beneficiary in a post office or a bank.
Women and Children
30. Last year, I introduced a statement highlighting the gender sensitivities of the budgetary allocations. I was able to cover 10 demands for grants. This time, I have been able to enlarge the statement on gender budgeting to include schemes where 100 per cent of the allocation is for the benefit of women as well as schemes where at least 30 per cent of the allocation is targeted towards women. The statement now covers 24 demands for grants in 18 Ministries/Departments and five Union Territories and schemes with an outlay of Rs.28,737 crore.
31. Furthermore, several Ministries and Departments have initiated an exercise to prepare a public expenditure profile of their budgets from a gender perspective. 32 Ministries and Departments have set up Gender Budgeting Cells.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

32. Government is committed to the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Honourable Members will be happy to know that this Budget, like last year’s, contains a separate statement on the schemes for the welfare and development of SCs and STs. On a like to like basis, the allocations for schemes benefiting only SCs and STs have been enhanced by 14.5 per cent to Rs.2,902 crore and the allocations for schemes with at least 20 per cent allocation for SCs and STs have been enhanced by 13.9 per cent to Rs.9,690 crore.

33. The equity contribution to the National SC Finance and Development Corporation is being increased to Rs.37 crore and to the National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation to Rs.80 crore in 2006-07.