Centre to Rationalize Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Rs 20k Crore for New Schemes
New Delhi: In an effort to lower the expenditure, Finance Ministry is considering merger and discontinuation of a few more Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), priortise expenditure to rationalise expenses and has allocated Rs 20,000 crore for some new schemes in health, housing, drinking water, a top official said. “We have to balance between revenues, fiscal deficit and expenditure priorities. We have priortised 32 ministries and we have realigned the same expenditure level with little bit of increase. Together with these, we have allocated Rs 20,000 crore for new schemes — health, drinking water, housing. “We will rationalize, not downsize. We have so many CSS. We may little bit compress there, merge them or some may be discontinued. Some realignment will be made in the small schemes where convergence is needed,” Girish Chandra Murmu, Expenditure Secretary told in an interview. He did not name the CSS where such rationalisation could take place. Murmu also said the government is hoping to save on interest costs from the proposed sovereign bonds. DoE does not see any major upside to the expenses at least till the Revised Estimates (RE) stage in October except few items. (IANS)