The government on Friday allocated Rs Rs 4,500 crore to Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry for 2010-11, marking a substantial increase of 80 per cent over last year.
Announcing the hike in the ministry's outlay while presenting the Budget in Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee said this would help the social sector to focus more on the welfare of the SCs, STs and OBCs, as well as the
physically challenged.
The finance minister said the increased budgetary allocation would help the ministry in enhancing scholarship
amount for students belonging to the backward classes.
"The allocation will allow the ministry to expand the various schemes it is running for the welfare of physically
challenged and also for those belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs," Mukherjee said.