Interim Budget 2024-25 Disappoints Minorities

The Union Budget is also known as the Annual Financial Statement, according to Article 112 of the Constitution of India It is an estimate of the income and expenditure for a specific period. Although it is a financial exercise by the government, it is a clear pointer of its priorities and political intent. This year, the government has to present an interim budget in Parliament as the general elections are around the corner and it does not have the time to present a full budget. Even so, many commentators have pointed out that the interim budget presented by our Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman was a routine and dull budget in terms of optics and hunger to grab headlines.

The ministers of the present government are addicted or programmed to repeat the slogan ”Sab ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas” as their philosophy at work. It implies that they would ensure that development and progress should reach all sections of society irrespective of class, caste, gender, geography, religious affiliation, etc. The Finance Minister too used this slogan in her Budget speech in Parliament. However, if we analyze the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Minority Affairs in the previous and present budgets, we begin doubting the intent behind this slogan and are forced to conclude that probably the Muslim community is exempted from availing the fruits of this all-embracing and inclusive philosophy epitomized by the “Sab ka Saath” slogan. Let’s study the different allocations offered to the Muslim community under the present interim budget 2024-25.

Since 2006-07, two strategies (at the level of government policy) have supported the growth of religious minorities. They are the Prime Minister’s 15-point program and the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP). The MSDP is now called the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK). Apart from the MSDP/PMJVK, all the schemes run by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) are also part of the 15-point program. These schemes are dedicated to the development of minorities and receive 100% budgetary support. According to the guidelines of the 15-point program, whenever possible, 15% of funds should be allocated to the development of minorities from the funds of development programs of general ministries. However, how much of this guideline is followed is anybody’s guess.

The first dose of good news appears to be the increased budgetary allocation of Rs 574.27 crore given to the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) as it received an overall allocation of Rs 3,183 crore for 2024-25, compared to the revised estimate of Rs 2,608 crore in 2023-24. Nevertheless, if we examine carefully, the original budgetary allocation for 2023-2024 was in fact Rs 3097 crore. So this slight increment from the original allocation is marginal and a slight reduction in real terms after accounting for inflation. It has been empirically proved that Muslims and other marginalized sections of society in India have been falling behind in various areas of development, such as education, gender equality, employment, housing, disposable income, etc. So instead of increasing the allotment to minorities, the government has frozen the flow of funds from its coffers; but keeps parroting that we carry everyone together in our “development journey”.

Of the budgeted allocation for the MoMA nearly 50% of the amount of Rs 1,575 crore is meant for education. Here is a breakdown of some schemes and projects the allocations of which were either reduced in the interim budget or almost remained the same. (* in crores)

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram (PMJVK) earlier known as the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) has received a substantial increase from Rs 550 crore to Rs 910 crore.

If one looks at the budget from a macro level, we find that in 2024-25, the total expenditure is estimated at Rs 47.66 lakh crore, a 6.1% increase over the revised estimates of 2023-24. The total allocation for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) is Rs 1.65 lakh crore and for the (Scheduled Tribes) STs it is Rs 1.21 lakh crore in the current budget. The SCs and STs comprise about 16.6% and 8.6%, respectively, of India’s population (according to the 2011 census). SCs and STs are enjoying the fruits of reservation. Compared to these marginalized sections, the Muslim community is more than 14% of the population of the country. An allocation of Rs 3000+ crore for Muslims and around Rs 2.86 lakh crore for SCs and STs shows the huge disparity in the priorities the government holds when it comes to working for the welfare of minorities in India. Muslims are receiving just 1% of budgetary allocation for their welfare compared to SCs/STs, whereas the Muslim population is almost half of the SC/ST population. Muslim leadership must make note of this anomaly and set their demands accordingly.

It’s time those in the highest echelons of power and our policymakers realize that Muslims deserve reservation and affirmative action to redress the historical and systemic discrimination (they have faced after independence) by providing opportunities to them in terms of access to education and gainful employment.  India is aiming to become the fastest growing economy in the world and reach GDP levels of over $7 trillion and more. By discriminating against and giving a raw deal to the 200-million-strong Indian Muslim community, we are slowing down our journey toward that target. The Muslim leadership should also add in its focus the educational and economic development of the community besides the various political challenges confronting them. Economic empowerment is a pre-requisite for getting your due share of the political pie. For that, a strong case for greater budgetary allocation and better monitoring of the schemes and projects of MoMA is required. As the Quran (13:11) says, “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”