Last week the Modi
government declared its last full budget of this term. To summarize it in
nutshell we could say that ‘Budget - 2018’ unveiled world’s largest government-funded
healthcare program. It largely focused on farmers, lower-middle class, young
jobseekers, poor and senior citizens. Though it got numerous but mixed
reactions from industry and people, there is one aspect that many may have
ignored.
I am talking about
allocation to the External Affairs Ministry i.e. to India's 'Foreign Policy'. Among other aspects, some of the
activities under this head include India helping various countries with
developmental projects and also our efforts at expanding our soft power. Some
highlights which could be summarized from this year’s Budget include –
- The External Affairs
Ministry has been allocated a total ₹15,011 crore. There is a marginal increase
of ₹1,321 crore over the last year.
- ₹5545 crore are allocated for India’s development and diplomatic engagement under the
‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
- With emphasis on expanding
soft power, important allocation is made to the cultural arm of the Ministry – the Indian
Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) that has received an increased
allocation of ₹20 crore to touch ₹255 crore. Also, the Nalanda University has
been granted ₹200 crore.
- ₹7,570.62 crore has
been allocated for international aid programmes.
- Bhutan is the largest
recipient of the External Affairs Ministry’s allocation. It is traditionally maintained
at this position with this year’s allocation increased by ₹71 crore to touch
₹2,650 crore.
- Nepal got a major hike in
allocation with ₹650 crore. It is the largest and third consecutive annual rise.
In 2016-17 Nepal had received ₹332.72 crore. Experts feel the budgetary hike is
likely due to the Indian help to Nepal to recover from 2015 earthquake. Newspapers
have indicated that researchers from the Ministry’s think tank – the Research
and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), have said that the Terai
road network and railway connectivity plans are also likely to feature in the
increased allocation.
- Myanmar’s allocation has
improved from ₹220 crore of last year to ₹280 crore.
- The new initiatives for building infrastructure in Chabahar port of Iran and Seychelles are given allocations of ₹150 crore and ₹350 crore each.
- The new initiatives for building infrastructure in Chabahar port of Iran and Seychelles are given allocations of ₹150 crore and ₹350 crore each.
- Assistance for Afghanistan
stands at ₹520 crore, for Myanmar at ₹400 crore, for Maldives at ₹40 crore.
India seems to have a focus on its ‘Act East Policy’, neighbours and partners in Indian Ocean Region.
India seems to have a focus on its ‘Act East Policy’, neighbours and partners in Indian Ocean Region.
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