80% hike for social justice and empowerment ministry

The government today allocated Rs4,500 crore to social justice and empowerment ministry for 2010-11, marking a substantial increase of 80% over last year.

Announcing the hike in the ministry's outlay while presenting the budget in Lok Sabha, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said this would help the social sector to focus more on the welfare of the SCs, STs and OBCs, as well as the physically challenged.

Mukherjee said the increased budgetary allocation would help the ministry in enhancing scholarship amount for students belonging to the backward classes.

"The allocation will allow the ministry to expand the various schemes it is running for the welfare of physically challenged and also for those belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs," Mukherjee said.