NEW DELHI, Feb 28: The government has decided to delink eight Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), including National e-Governance Plan, Backward Regions Grant Funds, Modernization of Police Forces and Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyaan (RGPSA), from its support.
As many as 24 CSS will run with the changed sharing pattern and 31 programmes will get full support of the Centre in 2015-16.
As per the the General Budget 2015-16, there are 31 schemes to be fully sponsored by the Union Government, 8 schemes have been delinked from support of the Centre and 24 schemes will now be run with the changed sharing pattern.
According to the Budget 2015-16, Centre has decided to support the CSS fully which are aimed at delivering benefits to socially disadvantaged group.
In case of some CSS, the Centre and state funding patterns will undergo a change with states to contribute higher share.
The plan outlay of 2015-16 reflects the compositional shift in the allocations for various programmes and schemes in view of high devolution.
As much as 42 per cent of union taxes will go to states as per the recommendation of 14th Finance Commission. The government has decided to accept this recommendation.
"...consequent to this substantially higher devolution, many schemes on the State subjects are to be delinked from Central support. However, keeping in mind that some of these schemes represent national priorities especially those targeted at poverty alleviation, Centre has decided that it will continue to contribute to such schemes," Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech
Besides, the schemes mandated by legal obligations and those backed by Cess collection have been fully provided for, he added.
For enhancing public spending in the economy, government has significantly enhanced the capital expenditure despite fiscal pressure.
In comparison to capital spending of Rs 1,92,378 crore in revised estimates of 2014-15, the capital spending will be Rs 2,41,431 crore in 2015-16.
The full list of the eight schemes delinked from Centre's support are National e-Governance Plan, Backward Regions Grant Funds, Modernization of Police Forces, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyaan (RGPSA), Scheme for Central Assistance to the States for developing export infrastructure, Scheme for setting up of 6000 Model Schools, National Mission on Food processing and Tourist Infrastructure.
