Budgetary blues haunt education sector

New Delhi: The education sector doesn’t have much to talk about, so far as allocations in the latest Budget document are concerned. Compared to the last Budget when funds to the tune of Rs 95,000 crore were allocated for the sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday allocated Rs 99,300 crore in her second budget presentation.

Stressing extensively on the government’s plans for the education sector Sitharaman said: “Our government proposes to provide about Rs 99,300 crore for education sector in 2020-21 and about Rs 3,000 crore for skill development.”

Compared to her maiden budget presentation presented on July 5, 2019, Sitharaman had earmarked a mere Rs 4,455 crores more than the previous budgetary allocation.

Earlier she had said: “This Budget is woven around three prominent themes: Aspirational India, economic development, caring society. Aspirational India encompasses better access of people to health, education and better jobs.”

However with a paltry allocation, equalling 3.2 per cent of GDP, for education, the question of implementing the ambitious plans outlined in the Budget speech remains unsolved.

IANS