Centre's fund crunch hits welfare schemes
In the first nine months of 2025-26, the Indian government released just ₹2 lakh crore for 53 major schemes—about 41% of what was originally planned.
Only three programs kept their budgets steady, while most saw cuts or slow spending.
Some programs saw revised allocations, but overall spending is concerning
Many key projects—while some farm schemes faced steep reductions and many programs saw slow spending, a few (including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Tribes) had revised allocations that exceeded original estimates.
Some, like Jal Jeevan Mission (clean water) and PM Schools for Rising India, received under 10% of their budgets.
By March 2026, overall spending is expected to stay below 75%, raising concerns about how well these schemes can actually help people who rely on them.