I&B ministry gets Rs 1,910 crore for the current fiscal

NEW DELHI: A sum of Rs 1,910 crore has been allocated to the ministry for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) for the year 2008-09. Out of this amount, Rs 700 crore is on the Plan side and the remaining Rs 1,210 crore are on the non-Plan side. These details were made available in the 55th report on Demand for Grants (2008-09), which was presented by the standing committee on information technology (2007-08) related to I&B ministry here in the Parliament today.

The report noted that on revenue (Plan) side there has been an increase of Rs 110.48 crore over revised estimates of 2007-08.

This, the report says, is a big reversal of the trend in the last year when the revenue (Plan) in budgetary estimates for 2007-08 was reduced by Rs 166.60 crore over revised estimates of 2006-07.

On the capital (plan) side, the report noted, there is an increase of Rs 189.52 crore over budgetary estimates for 2007-08.

The trend of last year when there was a hike of Rs 166.60 crore over revised estimates of 2006-07 has been maintained this time also.

The report said that the Plan Outlay for 2008-09 shows a substantial increase of Rs 300 crore over the revised estimates for 2007-08. In percentage terms this works out to a 75 per cent increase.