Union Budget 2011: To raise Plan expenditure by 18.35%

The government today proposed to increase the Plan expenditure for 2011-12 to Rs 4,41,546.75 crore, up 18.35% from the Budget estimates for the current fiscal.

However, the jump in the Plan expenditure for 2011-12 is 11.77%, if compared with the revised estimates of the same for current fiscal at Rs 3,95,023.90 crore. The Budget 2010-11 estimated Plan expenditure at Rs 3,73,091.99 crore. The Plan expenditure is the government spending on social sector schemes such as Bharat Nirman, rural employment guarantee and National Rural Health Mission. Besides, it includes Centre's assistance to various states and Union Territories Plans. While presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, "The Plan expenditure at Rs 4,41,547 crore marks an increase of 18.3% and the non-Plan Expenditure at Rs 8,16,182 crore is an increase of 10.