60. Total Central plan outlay at Rs.1,05,187 crore will be higher by Rs.24,154 crore from the last year’s level of Rs.81,033 crore. Gross budgetary support for the Central plan is being enhanced from Rs.33,629 crore in the revised estimates 1997-98 to Rs.42,464 crore. The balance will be met by the internal and extra-budgetary resources of the Central Public Sector Enterprises. Gross budgetary support for the Central plan includes provision of Rs.5,741 crore for externally aided projects.

61. The plan allocations reflect our dominant priorities. The plan allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture has been increased by 58 per cent from Rs.1807 crore to Rs.2,854 crore.

62. For 1998-99, the plan allocation for Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment is Rs.9,912 crore, an increase of Rs.1,556 crore over RE 1997-98 of Rs.8,356 crore.

63. The plan allocation for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is Rs.3,684 crore, an increase of 34% over RE 1997-98 of Rs.2,747 crore.

64. The plan allocation for the Department of Education has been increased substantially from Rs.3,351 crore to Rs.4,245 crore.

65. The plan allocation for Ministry of Welfare is being increased by 91 per cent from Rs.804 crore to Rs.1,539 crore. It includes Rs.92 crore for National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation, Rs.41 crore for National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation, Rs.60 crore for share capital contribution to State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations, Rs.28 crore for National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation and Rs.10 crore for National Safai Karmachari Finance and Development Corporation.

66. In order to sustain our quest for excellence in frontier areas of scientific research, the plan allocation for Department of Atomic Energy is being enhanced by 68 per cent from Rs.828 crore to Rs.1,391 crore and the plan allocation for Department of Space is being raised by 62 per cent from Rs.850 crore to Rs.1,381 crore.

67. For tapping the potential of non-conventional energy sources, the plan allocation for the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy is being more than doubled from Rs.190 crore to Rs.404 crore.

68. The plan allocation for the Ministry of Environment and Forests is being increased by 60 per cent from Rs.440 crore to Rs.704 crore.

69. The budgetary support for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism is being more than tripled from Rs.122 crore to Rs.379 crore.

70. The plan allocation for the Department of Women & Child Development is being stepped up from Rs.1,026 crore to Rs.1,226 crore.