Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan cut by a whopping Rs 635 crore

BENGALURU: Modi’s pet scheme of Swachh Bharat has been cut by Rs 635 crore across the country for the fiscal year 2015-16, while the Integrated Child Development Scheme for undernourished children in anganwadis sees a whopping cut of Rs 9,858 crore, which is less than half of last year’s budget of Rs 17,858 crore. ICDS was former PM Manmohan Singh’s pet scheme. The Modi government has also cut funds to the Rashtirya Grameen Drinking Water Scheme that sees a slash of Rs 8,390 crore.

The allocation for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has come down drastically from Rs 9,193.75 crore last year to just Rs 2,000 crore. The move to cut funds in this manner has given the Congress a strong stick to beat the Modi government with. Almost all the schemes are either rural or for the upliftment of the oppressed classes that the PM and BJP have been trying to reach out to, particularly now following the successful Congress campaign on the Land Acquisition Bill.

"Most of these schemes are continuing ones. How can the Centre suddenly slash or end programmes like this?" asked Karnataka’s Minister of State for Food Affairs Dinesh Gundu Rao while speaking to ET. Political analyst Harish Ramaswamy said the allocations were "more practical and pragmatic" this time, as states often did not utilise the funds that were allotted to them.