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The Union Budget for 2011-12, announced by India’s Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, in Parliament on February 28, 2011 does seem to take a hard look at environmental concerns with some concrete plans on the anvil. Down below are the salient features.
- 4% increase in the budget allocation for the ministry of environments and forests compared to last year, i.e. from Rs.220 million to Rs.230 million.
- Drop in funding in the segment of Forestry and Wildlife protection, which is from Rupees 7.93 billion in 2010-11 to Rupees 7.85 billion this year.
- Increase in allotment for the conservation of ecology and environment which is changed from Rupees 12.2 billion in 2010-2011 to Rupees 13.5 billion for the current year.
- Over Rs.600 crore allocated for protection and regeneration of forests, environmental management and cleaning of rivers and lakes.
- Rs 200 crore allocation for 2011 from the National Clean Energy Fund to start implememention of the ambitious 10 Years Green India Mission (GIM) program
- Rs 200 crore from the National Clean Energy Fund for environmental remediation program, cleaning up of the Ganges and other important rivers.
