New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) Bhutan on Tuesday got the highest allocation for any country in the region, of Rs 2,068 crore as development aid, in the Union Budget for 2024-25, while there was a significant allocation for Nepal, of Rs 700 crore, in the budget.
In the Union Budget, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was allocated Rs 22,154 crore for fiscal 2024-25, as against last year's allocation of Rs 18,050 crore, which rose significantly to Rs 29,121 crore in the revised estimate.
Among other countries in the region, the budget outlay for the Maldives was at Rs 400 crore -- the same as the outlay for the previous year, but which saw a significant rise in the revised estimate to Rs 770 crore.
The outlay for Bhutan, though it is the highest for countries in the region, is still lower than what was allocated in last year’s budget -- of Rs 2,400 crore. The revised estimate for Bhutan last year stood at Rs 2,398 crore.
For Sri Lanka, the Union Budget has allocated Rs 245 crore for 2024-25, as against last year's Rs 60 crore.
The allocation for Afghanistan remains the same as last year at Rs 200 crore, while for Bangladesh, the budget allocation stands at Rs 120 crore, lower than last budget’s Rs 200 crore, of which only Rs 130 crore was utilised.
For Chabahar Port, the budget allocation has been the same as last year’s Rs 100 crore.
Mauritius has been allocated Rs 370 crore, while it was allocated Rs 460.79 crore last year, of which only Rs330 crore was utilised.
Myanmar was allocated Rs 250 crore in the 2024-25 Union Budget. Last budget, the neighbouring country was allocated Rs 400 crore, of which Rs 370 crore was used.
Seychelles has been allocated Rs 40 crore.
Of all the countries, Nepal saw the highest increase. It was allocated Rs 700 crore, up from the Rs 550 crore allocated last year, which went up to Rs 650 crore in the revised budget.
The total aid allocation for countries, which includes Latin America, Eurasia and Other Developing Countries, as well as for disaster relief , stands at Rs 4,883.56 crore, which is lower than the Rs. 5,426.78 crore of the revised budget of last year.
UNI RN