Allocation to women and child development ministry hiked

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday proposed to hike the allocation to the women and child development ministry by 15 percent from Rs.17,263 crore ($3,219 million) to Rs.20,350 crore ($3,795 million) this fiscal.

The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), which spent the entire allocated amount last year, will get Rs.15,912 crore ($2,967 million) this year.

Presenting the union budget, Chidambaram said: “Young women face gender discrimination everywhere, especially at the workplace. Ministry of women and child development has been asked to design schemes that will address these concerns. I propose to provide an additional sum of Rs.200 crore ($37 million) to the ministry to begin work in this regard”.

“Women belonging to the most vulnerable groups, including single women and widows, must be able to live with self-esteem and dignity,” he said.

Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath expressed satisfaction at the increase in allocations for ICDS scheme and said the projects would be implemented on the ground.

“Of course, it will be implemented on ground… I don’t think it is a political budget. It is both social and political,” Tirath told reporters.

IANS 2013-02-28 20:06:05