Date:15/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121558620600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Nation will progress with women’s education: Vasan

Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI: The Gender Budgeting Cells that all Central ministries have created are ensuring that the share meant for women’s welfare out of the total allocation was spent properly, Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan said on Sunday.

Schemes for women welfare are being carried out at an expenditure of Rs.11,460 crore for 2008-09.

The amounts earmarked for women and child welfare, and women Self-Help-Groups were Rs.7,200 crore and Rs.500 crore respectively, Mr. Vasan said, inaugurating the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Shrimati Indira Gandhi College here.

The Central Government was keen on reaching out to all sections of the society, particularly those in the below poverty line and minorities and enhancing their quality of lives, he said, listing the other allocations: Rs. 34,400 crore for education (a 20 per cent rise over last year), Rs. 13,000 for implementation of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Rs. 8,000 crore for implementation of noon meal scheme that benefits 13.9 crore students. The noon-meal scheme has been acclaimed as the largest welfare scheme in the world, he said.