Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

The key scheme for the implementation of the Right to Education Act, which makes education a right of every child in the age group of 6 to 14 years

Beneficiaries: 15.6 crore students in 11.6 lakh government and aided schools

• Over 14,000 government schools have been closed across the country between 2020-21 and 2023-24 More are being shut down in Uttar Pradesh, the largest state.

• Of the 10.15 lakh government schools, more than 50,000 did not have their own buildings. Over 3,000 were running in open spaces in 2023-24, according to the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education and Women and Child Development (WCD) on Demand for Grants for School Education for 2025-26.

• The committee, in a report tabled in Parliament in March this year, expressed concern over the poor state of school education. It asked the Centre to allocate and disburse additional funds under the SSA to those states and UTs whose schools are being run without buildings in open spaces.

Allocations (in ₹ crore)

BE 23-24: 37,453

RE 23-24: 33,000

BE 24-25: 37,010

RE 24-25: 37,010

BE 25-26: 41,250

BE: Budget estimate RE: Revised estimate, which includes additional requirements under the scheme in a particular year

PM-POSHAN

The rechristened mid-day meal scheme under which students of elementary classes (Classes I to VIII) in government and aided schools get food

Beneficiaries: 11 crore children in Classes I to VIII enrolled in 10.35 lakh government and aided schools

• The allocation under the scheme has remained static at around ₹10,000 crore in the past two years

• “PM POSHAN coverage should be extended to students up to Class XII (age 18), with a focus on preventing adolescent dropouts and addressing gender disparities in nutrition,” the WCD committee said.

Allocations (in ₹ crore)

BE 23-24: 11,600

RE 23-24: 10,000

BE 24-25: 12,467

RE 24-25: 10,000

BE 25-26: 12,500

Saksham Anganwadi

The WCD ministry’s scheme provides nutrition support to children between 6 months and 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 years in “aspirational districts” and the Northeast are also eligible for benefits.

The scheme also provides early childhood care and education for children aged 3 to 6 years

Beneficiaries: Over 10 crore beneficiaries

• The allocation of funds for 2025-26 (₹21,960 crore) is much less than the WCD ministry’s projected requirement of ₹38,403 crore, the parliamentary committee found

• Because of inadequate funds, 1,57,247 of the 13,97,061 anganwadi centres lack drinking water connections and 3,94,547 centres do not have functional toilets

Allocations (in ₹ crore)

BE 23-24: 20,552

RE 23-24: 21,522 BE 24-25: 21,200

RE 24-25: 20,071

BE 25-26: 21,960

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

The ministry of rural development’s MGNREGA provides up to 100 days of unskilled work to every rural household in a year

Beneficiaries: 13.5 crore active workers

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has expressed concern that the budget estimates under the MGNREGA for 2025-26 have remained unchanged at ₹86,000 crore since the revised estimates for 202324, saying the department must take note of the still existing high demand for jobs under the scheme “more realistically and press upon the fi nance ministry for increased allocation”.

Allocations (in ₹ crore)

BE 23-24: 60,000

RE 23-24: 86,000

BE 24-25: 86,000

RE 24-25: 86,000

BE 25-26: 86,000

National Social Assistance Programme

The NSAP provides pension benefits to the elderly, widows and the physically challenged

Beneficiaries: 3.09 crore

• The allocation has remained unchanged at ₹9,652 crore for the past three years

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development said it was “unable to comprehend the rationale behind not increasing the allocation of funds for the NSAP since 2022-23. Given the importance of ensuring adequate financial support for the beneficiaries, the committee feels that the budgetary allocation must be reviewed”.

Allocations (in ₹ crore)

BE 23-24: 9,636

RE 23-24: 9,652

BE 24-25: 9,652

RE 24-25: 9,652

BE 25-26: 9,652

Source: Data from reports of Expenditure Budget documents for FY 2023-23, 2024-25 and 2025-26