Five Ministries To Cut Contribution To Global Bodies

The Indian government is looking to slash the contribution by five of its central ministries to global organisations in the next fiscal year, with the Finance Ministry accounting for over 80 per cent of their cumulative cut. While for most of the ministries such contributions would either increase or remain unchanged, five of them - Finance, Health, Science & Technology, Rural Development and Railways- would decline in 2008-09 from the current fiscal year, according to the expenditure Budget proposals made by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. Together, the contribution by these five ministries would decline by about Rs 310 million in the next fiscal year, with the Finance Ministry alone accounting for about RS 250 million. The Union Budget has proposed Rs 552.50 million of such contributions by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in 2008-09, as against Rs 828 million proposed in the Budget for the current fiscal year that was revised to Rs 803.50 million. In 2006-07, MoF had contributed Rs 1.1 billion to bodies like United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Asian Development Bank and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). For the next fiscal year, it has been proposed that MoF would contribute Rs 220.50 million to UNDP. Other major contributions would be to Global Environment Trust Fund (Rs 100 million), Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (Rs 80 million) and Colombo Plan (Rs 59.60 million). The international bodies receiving monetary assistance from various ministries include the World Health Organisation, International Committee of Red Cross Society, United Nations Funds on Population Activities, Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organisation and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. According to Budget proposals, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare would cut down such contributions to Rs 112.10 million in next fiscal year, as against Rs 93 million proposed in the budget for current fiscal year that was revised to Rs 144.50 million. The contribution to WHO has been proposed at Rs 90 million in the next fiscal year, as against a revised estimate of Rs 133.50 million and Budget proposal of Rs 82 million for 2007 -08. The contribution to International Committee of Red Cross Society would remain unchanged at Rs 6 lakh. The Ministry of Science and Technology would be bringing down its monetary contribution by around Rs 28 million for 2008-09. For the next fiscal year, it has earmarked Rs 111.10 million as against Rs 139.10 million proposed for 2007-08. The Ministry of Railways would contribute Rs 30.50 million in the next fiscal, as compared to a revised estimate of Rs 30.70 million and a budget proposal of Rs 11.80 million for 2007-08. Moreover, Ministry of Rural Development would be giving Rs 11 million to the international bodies. The previous budget had proposed its contribution at Rs 11.5 million for the current fiscal year, which was revised to Rs 11.10 million. The Ministry of External Affairs would be contributing Rs 1.4 billion to international bodies next fiscal year, the highest for any ministry. It has an allocation of Rs 1.23 billion for the current fiscal year. Further, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry would be contributing Rs 65 million to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the next fiscal year. This would be an increase of Rs 5 million as compared to Rs 60 million to be contributed during 2007-08. According to Budget proposals, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare would cut down such contributions to Rs 112.10 million in the next fiscal year, as against Rs 93 million proposed in the budget for current fiscal year that was revised to Rs 144.50 million. The contribution to WHO has been proposed at Rs 90 million in the next fiscal year, as against a revised estimate of Rs 133.50 million and Budget proposal of Rs 82 million for 2007 -08. The contribution to International Committee of Red Cross Society would remain unchanged at Rs 6 lakh. The Ministry of Science and Technology would be bringing down its monetary contribution by around Rs 28 million for 2008-09. For the next fiscal year, it has earmarked Rs 111.10 million as against Rs 139.10 million proposed for 2007-08. The Ministry of Railways would contribute Rs 30.50 million in the next fiscal, as compared to a revised estimate of Rs 30.70 million and a budget proposal of Rs 11.80 million for 2007-08. Moreover, Ministry of Rural Development would be giving Rs 11 million to the international bodies. The previous budget had proposed its contribution at Rs 11.5 million for the current fiscal year, which was revised to Rs 11.10 million. The Ministry of External Affairs would be contributing Rs 1.4 billion to international bodies next fiscal year, the highest for any ministry. It has an allocation of Rs 1.23 billion for the current fiscal year. Further, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry would be contributing Rs 65 million to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the next fiscal year. This would be an increase of Rs five million as compared to Rs 60 million to be contributed during 2007-08.