Union Budget 2021-22 allocates over ₹18,000 cr to MEA & ₹7,000 cr in aid to 20 countries

The Ministry of External Affairs has been allocated with ₹18,154.73 crore for the financial year 2021-22 in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday. This year allocation is 21 % higher than the estimated ₹15,000 cr for 2020-21. It also includes the aid of ₹7,148.95 crore for 20 countries.

"A budget of ₹18154.73 crores has been allocated for MEA for the financial year 2021-22. This budget includes the aid of ₹7635.15 crore to 20 countries, international training programmes and also art and cultural heritage projects, as per the Budget statement".

An outlay of more than ₹7,000 crore as foreign assistance in the budget for 2021-22 was unveiled. Bhutan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritius, Seychelles and some African and Eurasian are among the 20 countries to receive the aid.

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This year's budget also allocated 100 cr for the development of the Chabahar port and disaster relief, as there was no allocation for Chabahar port during fiscal 2019-20.

In the MEA budget, 4,328.75 crore will be spent on maintenance of aircraft of Air India for VVIP travel, Nalanda University, South Asian University, Demarcation of Boundaries, Celebration of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, Expenditure relating to Pilgrimages abroad, Grants to Institutions, Training, Actual Recoveries, Special Diplomatic Expenditure, International Cooperation, Loss by the exchange.

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₹5,857.69 crore of the MEA budget will be spent on the establishment which includes secretariat, embassies and missions, passport, emigration and other expenditure of the Ministry.

A total of ₹333.14 crore for Grants-in-aid-Salaries and Grants-in aid-General for Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and Society for Research and Information System for Non-Aligned, Other Developing Countries (RIS) and India Centre for Migration. An allocation of ₹400 crores has been made for the United Nations. 

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35,000 Cr Budget Allocation For COVID Vaccine

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccination in the Union Budget and said it would help the country become free of the viral disease. The government on Monday proposed a budget outlay of Rs 2,23,846 crore for health and wellbeing in 2021-2022, an increase of 137% from the previous year, with Rs 35,000 crore earmarked for COVID-19 vaccine in the upcoming fiscal. Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman positioned health and wellbeing as one of the six crucial pillars of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India).

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(With ANI Inputs)