Budget of India 2020-2021 and Sustainable Development Goals International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED) 2020 Annual Budget of India and Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal set of goals, targets and indicators that 193 countries in the world have jointly set for themselves. All the nations of the world, through adoption of Agenda 2030, pledged that no one will be left behind. These SDGs are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are part and parcel of longstanding tradition and heritage of India. As stated by Prime Minister of India in United Nations in 2015, much of India’s development agenda is mirrored in the SDGs. He also stated that sustainable development of one- sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet. NITI Aayog, which has replaced the Planning Commission, has released a medium term seven year strategy document in the form of “Strategy for New India @ 75” (https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-01/Strategy_for_New_India_2.pdf) to define clear objectives for 2022-23 in a diverse range of 41 areas that recognize the progress already made; and challenges that remain; identify binding constraints in specific sectors; and suggest the way forward for achieving the stated objectives. The Strategy document has disaggregated the 41 sectors under four sections: drivers, infrastructure, inclusion and governance. The first section on drivers focuses on the engines of economic performance – in macroeconomic terms with chapters on growth and employment. The section also discusses strategies for the doubling of farmers’ incomes; boosting Make in India; upgrading the science, technology and innovation eco-system; and promoting sunrise sectors like fintech and tourism. The second section on infrastructure deals with the physical foundations of growth. This is crucial to enhancing the competitiveness of Indian business as also ensuring the citizens’ ease of living. Three key steps, among others, are: “Expediting the establishment of the Rail Development Authority (RDA)”; “Doubling the share of freight transported by coastal shipping and inland waterways”; and “Eliminating digital divide by connecting individual villages digitally and thereby deliver all government services at the state, district, and gram panchayat level digitally by 2022-23”. The section on inclusion deals with the urgent task of investing in the capabilities of all of India’s citizens. The three themes in this section revolve around the various dimensions of health, education and mainstreaming of traditionally marginalized sections of the population. The final section on governance delves deep into how the tasks/ business of government can be streamlined and reformed to achieve better outcomes. It involves a sharp focus on ensuring accountability and a shift to performance-based evaluation. The government will revamp its data systems and analysis so that all policy interventions and decision-making are based on evidence and real-time data. This will yield efficient and targeted delivery of services and justice to those who need them the most. Earlier a Three-Year Action Agenda was released in year 2017 covering the years 2017-18 to 2019-20. The 15 year Vision document would be the last in series from NITI Aayog on Agenda 2030 and is yet to be released. The annual budget 2020-21 of Government of India is dedicated to provide “Ease of Living” to all the citizens woven around three themes – “Aspirational India”; “Economic Development”; and “Caring Society”. This document is meant for use as a ready reference for providing information about allocations on SDGs through Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Central Sector Schemes and other interventions. This document provides SDG wise expenditure trends by Union Government on Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Central Sector Schemes and other interventions. This document would also be helpful to the Field Audit Offices (FAOs) in risk assessment exercise for identification of government programmes/ schemes for audit. A detailed Excel Sheet showing budgetary allocations/ expenditures under various Schemes/ Projects during the past three years i.e. 2018-19 (Actuals), 2019-20 (Revised Estimates) and 2020-21 (Budget Estimates) has also been enclosed with this document for detailed information. The identification of various schemes and interventions is done on the basis of detailed mapping of SDGs to Nodal Central Ministries, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and major Government initiatives. The latest version of mapping available in Public domain is the one which has been published in August 2018 (https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-01/SDGMapping-Document-NITI_0.pdf). We have gone through the budget provisions in the budget documents as presented in both houses of the Parliament. We have attempted to find out the allocation and / or expenditure pattern, of last two years and compared it with the proposed allocation in the current budget. The NITI Aayog has mapped the schemes and interventions in such a manner that most of the schemes and interventions have been mapped against multiple SDGs. As per the Budget Estimates 2020-21 Union Government proposes to spend Rs. 30,42,230 Crore in 2020-21, which is 12.74 percent above the revised estimate of 2019-20. Out of this, Government of India has allocated Rs. 8,31,825 Crore and Rs. 3,39,894 Crore on various Central Sector Schemes / Projects and Transfers for Centrally Sponsored Schemes respectively. Details of expenditure under different heads can be better understood with Figure– Expenditure Profile Union Government – BE 2020-21. Figure: Expenditure Profile Union Government - BE 2020-21 Other Grants/Loans/Transfers Establishment Expenditure Finance 8% 20% Commission Grants 5% Centrally Sponsored Schemes 11% Central Sector Schemes/ Interest Payments Projects 23% 27% Other Central Sector Expenditure 6% In this document, we have tried to map expenditure with SDGs using NITI Aayog - Mapping of Central Sector Schemes and Ministries of Government of India with SDGs (August 2018) as well as going through general objectives of various Central Sector Schemes / Projects and Centrally Sponsored schemes. As per Budget 2020-21 there are 36 Centrally Sponsored Schemes and 685 Central Sector Schemes/ Projects. Out of which, 35 Centrally Sponsored Schemes and 614 Central Sector Schemes/ Projects involving Rs. 3,39,895 Crores and Rs. 8,61,772 Crores respectively aggregating to Rs. 12,58,947 Crores have been mapped with various SDGs. Remaining Central Sector Schemes/ Projects were related to matters such as Defence, Space Technology, Information & Broadcasting, Consumer affairs, etc., which were either not directly linked with any SDG goal or expenditures cannot be proportionally appropriated on different SDGs. Other Expenditure amounting to Rs. 57,280 Crore has also been included in mapping (SDG 3 and 4) which mostly includes support to Central Universities, Medical Colleges/ Hospitals, Institutions such as IITs, IISER, NITs, UGC, KVS, NVS, etc. The major allocations which are relevant for achievement of respective SDGs are discussed below. The related deliverable/ output and the outcome in near future, wherever measurable is also mentioned along with the allocations: SDG 1- End poverty in all its forms everywhere Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and National Livelihood Mission - Ajeevika are major Centrally Sponsored Schemes to SDG GOAL 1: NO POVERTY achieve SDG 1 besides various social 105000 103541 Central Sector Schemes. 100000 270 Crore person days employment to be generated through 95000 93053 allocation of Rs. 61,500 Crore which 90000 87465 would also lead to creation of 75 lakh In Rs. CroresIn 85000 assets in rural India. 123.94 lakh new 80000 works would be initiated under MGNREGA. 75000 ACTUAL 2018-19 RE 2019-20 BE 2020-21 Assistance to around 290.311 lakh beneficiaries under ‘National Social Assistance Programme’ gets an allocation of Rs. 9,196.92 Crore. Under National Livelihood Mission – Ajeevika budget allocation of Rs. 10,005.04 Crore has been made. Out of the major schemes listed above, MGNREGA and NLM- Ajeevika also target SDGs other than SDG 1 as depicted below: 1 Beneficiaries under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) MGNREGA NLM-Ajeevika SDG 5 SDG 10 SDG 8 SDG 10 SDG- 2 Zero Hunger Food security for poorer sections of society by distribution of about 55 Million Tonnes subsidized food grains by spending Rs. 1,65,319.68 Crore. National Food Security Mission SDG GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER component of Centrally Sponsored 400000 Scheme Green Revolution aims to bring 350413 350000 317342 15 Lakh Hectares of Additional Gross 300000 245543 Cropped Area in identified districts for 250000 food grain cultivation as well as 200000 Increase in yield (production per ha) of 150000 In Rs. CroresIn food grain production in project area - 100000 50000 Rice-2700 kg/ha, Wheat- 3600 kg/ha, 0 Pulse- 850 kg/ha, Coarse cereals – 1980 Actual 2018-19 RE 2019-20 BE 2020-21 kg/ha. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) an Income Support Scheme aims to provide timely financial benefit of Rs. 2000 for every 4 months i.e. Rs. 6000 per annum to 11.97 Crore beneficiaries through an allocation of Rs. 75,000 Crores. Enhanced quality and coverage (11.98 Crore children) of ‘Mid-May Meal Scheme’ (MDM) and improved nutritional status of children through supplementary meal through an allocation of Rs. 11,000 Crore. The total allocation under various components of ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana’ (PMKSY) is Rs. 11,126.51 Crore. ‘Har Khet ko Pani’ to be taken up for completing 100 Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies and Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) projects. It also aims to create additional irrigation potential of 0.5 Lakh Hectare through RRR and SMI projects.