NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has highlighted that the actual expenditure of ministry of minority affairs has gone down considerably during previous years as several schemes like free coaching and allied scheme, ‘Nai Udaan’, scheme of providing education in madrasas and minorities (SPEMM) have been discontinued and PM-VIKAS launched in 2023-24 could not be implemented.
“Further, the amount allocated during 2022-23 to 2024-25 under various scholar ship 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 including ministry of social justice and empowerment and ministry of tribal affairs,” the departmental standing committee on social justice and empowerment notes in its report on demand for grants 2025-26 tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
The committee chaired by BJP Lok Sabha member P C Mohan observes that the ministry could spend only Rs 837 crore and Rs 1,032 crore out of Rs 2,612 crore and Rs 2,608 crore during the year 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The committee further highlighted that the situation did not improve in 2024-25 as the ministry was able to spend only Rs 919 crore out of budgetary allocation of Rs 3,183 crore (BE) by Dec 31 2024.
Recognising that the ministry is in the process of streamlining and strengthening the existing schemes to prevent misuse, the committee said it must seek approvals at the earliest so that the allocated budget of Rs 3,350 crore for 2025-26 is utilised.