New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has noted that the Minority Affairs Ministry’s actual expenditure has gone down considerably in previous years due to the system being streamlined to ensure funds reach only the deserving people without being misused.
In the eighth report on ‘Demands for Grants for the year 2025-26’ pertaining to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the standing committee on social justice and
empowerment said the Ministry could spend only Rs 837.68 crore out of the Rs 2,612.66 (revised estimates) allocated during 2022-23.
Then corresponding number for 2023-24 were Rs 1,032.65 crore and Rs 2,608.93 (revised estimates) crore, the panel said.
The situation did not improve in 2024-25 as the Ministry was able to spend only Rs 919.10 crore out of the budgetary allocation of Rs 3,183.24 crore (budgetary estimates) by December 31, 2024, the panel said.
The Committee said it notes that the actual expenditure of the ministry has gone down considerably during previous years.
The Committee said it has been apprised that the Ministry has not been able to spend the budgetary allocation as several schemes such as ‘Free Coaching and Allied Scheme’, ‘Nai Udaan’, ‘Scheme of Providing Education in Madrasas Minorities (SPEMM)’, among others have been discontinued and PM-VIKAS launched in 2023-24 did not initiate.
Further, the amount allocated during 2022-23 to 2024-25 under various scholarship schemes of the ministry could not be spent because these schemes are under consideration for approval since 2022-23 as they are being harmonised with the schemes of other line Ministries, viz. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The Committee said it strongly believes that the Ministry of Minority Affairs is making all efforts to achieve the mission of the ministry by streamlining and strengthening the prevailing system so that the deserving minorities can avail of the benefits of the schemes and the funds are not misused.
The Committee said it feels that the steps taken by the ministry were necessary in order to harmonise the system with the welfare schemes of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The panel expressed hope these steps will improve the implementation of the schemes and enhance the socio-economic condition of six notified minority communities in the country.
Since the Ministry of Minority Affairs is in the process of streamlining and strengthening the prevailing system, the Committee expects that the necessary approvals will be obtained by the Ministry at the earliest so that the allocated Budget of Rs 3,350.00 crore for 2025-26 is fruitfully utilised, the report said.
The Committee, therefore, recommended the Ministry of Minority Affairs vigorously pursue with the ministries departments concerned for the pending approvals and keep the administrative machinery ready for immediate implementation of the schemes as soon as they are approved, it said.
PTI