Budget 2024: PM Poshan, Samagra Shiksha allocations much lower than pre-pandemic years | Data

If the allocation is expressed as a share of the total Budget, the Samagra Shiksha scheme’s share comes to 0.79% in FY25

Education scheme budget: Students in a classroom in Radhakrishnapur High School which uses innovative means for the upliftment of their students. | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI

In FY25, the government is expected to spend ₹73,008 crore on school education. The allocation marginally increased by ₹534 crore, when compared with the revised estimates for the year FY24. While it has increased in terms of absolute numbers, if the allocation is expressed as a share of the total Budget, school education’s share comes to 1.53% in FY25, the lowest, if the pandemic years and the recovery period are ignored. 

Chart 1 shows the allocation to school education as a share of the total Budget, across years.

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The 1.53% share in FY25 is the lowest in the recent past if FY21, FY22 (pandemic years) and FY23 (recovery year) are ignored. The allocations for major schemes under the school education umbrella also mimicked a similar trend.

The government is expected to spend ₹37,500 crore on the Samagra Shiksha scheme, an increase of ₹4,500 crore when compared with FY24 revised estimates. The scheme subsumes the three erstwhile Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). 

While it has increased in terms of absolute numbers, if the allocation is expressed as a share of the total Budget, the Samagra Shiksha scheme’s share comes to 0.79% in FY25, much lower than the pre-pandemic years. From FY17 to FY20, the scheme’s share in the total Budget was over 1.2%, as shown in Chart 2. 

Chart 2 shows the allocation for the Samagra Shiksha scheme as a share of the total Budget, across years.

The government is expected to spend ₹12,467 crore on the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM - POSHAN) scheme, an increase of ₹2,467 crore when compared with FY24 revised estimates. The primary objective of the scheme is to improve the nutritional status of children studying in classes I-VIII in eligible schools. It was earlier known as the National Programme of Mid-Day Meals in Schools.

While it has increased in terms of absolute numbers, if the allocation is expressed as a share of the total Budget, the PM - POSHAN scheme’s share comes to 0.26% in FY25, the lowest in the last nine years, except FY24 revised estimates, as shown in Chart 3.

Chart 3 shows the allocation for the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM - POSHAN) scheme as a share of the total Budget, across years