Rural Development Minister Welcomes Budget 2011-12

Rs. 87,800 Crore Allocation for Ministry of Rural Development 

Bharat Nirman Allocation Increased by RS.10,000 Crore 

Eligibility for Indira Gandhi National old age Pension Reduced from 65 Years to 60 

Pension Rates Hiked from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 for 80 Yrs. and above

Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh has welcomed the budget proposals for 2011-12. The Minister has said that the budget reflects the commitment of the UPA Government towards Aam admi and the aspirations of the rural masses. Allocation of Rs. 87,800 crores has been provide in the Union Budget 2011-12 for the Ministry Of Rural Development. The department wise break up is as follows –

Department	Allocation
Department Of Rural Development	Rs. 74,100
Department Of Drinking Water  and Sanitation	Rs.11,000
Department of Land Resources	Rs.2700
Total	Rs. 87,800

The allocation for Bharat Nirman has been hiked by Rs. 10,000 crores from the current year to Rs.58,000 crores.Bharat Nirman consists of 6 flagship programs,  the Pradhan Mantri GramSadak Yojana (PMGSY), Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, National Rural Drinking Water Program and Rural telephony.

Under the on-going Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiaries, the eligibility for pension will now be reduced to 60 years from 65 years at present. The Finance Minister also announced that the pension amount is being raised from Rs. 200 at present to Rs. 500 per month for those who are 80 years and above. This was announced by the Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee while presenting the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha today.

The budgetary allocation  in Union budget 2011-12 for  the flagship programs under the three departments of the Ministry Of Rural Development is as follows - 

Program	Allocation	Purpose
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)	Rs. 40,000 crores	For providing 100 days of wage employment to each rural household opting for it.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY)	Rs. 20,000 crores	For providing connectivity to eligible unconnected rural habitations through good all weather roads and their systematic upgradation
Indira Awas Yojana	Rs. 10,000 crores	For providing assistance to rural BPL households for construction of houses andupgradaion of kutcha houses under IndiraAwas Yojana.60% of the toal allocation to BPL families of SCs/STs
National Rural LivelihoodMission(NRLM)/Swarna JayantiGram Swarozgar Yojana(SGSY)	Rs.2914 crores	For establishing micro enterprises in rural areas. At least 50% of the Swarozgaris will be SCs/STs. 40% women and  3 % disabled. It has been decided to restructure SGSY into National Rural Livelihood Mission.
National Rural Drinking Water Program(NRDWP)	Rs. 9,350 crores	For supplementing States efforts to provide safe drinking water to all rural habitations.
Total Sanitation Campaign(TSC)	Rs. 1650 crores	For Rural Sanitation.
Integrated Watershed Management Program(IWMP)	Rs.2549 crores	For integrated watershed management program.