Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced an increased allocation of Rs 3,271 crore (Rs 32.71 billion) for the schemes benefiting Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the General Budget presented on Wednesday for 2007-08.

Presenting the Budget, the finance minister said in respect of schemes with at least 20 per cent of the benefits earmarked for SCs/STs, the allocation has been increased to Rs 17,691 crore (Rs 176.91 billion).

The allocation under Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Programme for SC/ST students studying M Phil and PhD courses has been increased from Rs 35 crore (Rs 350 million) in 2006-07 to Rs 88 crore (Rs 880 million) in 2007-08, he said.

Chidambaram also announced that the provision for post-matric scholarship programme for SC/ST students has also been increased from Rs 440 crore (Rs 4.4 billion) in 2006-07 to Rs 611 crore (Rs 6.11 billion) in 2007-08.

He said a separate provision of Rs 91 crore (Rs 910 million) for similar scholarships to students belonging to socially and educationally backward classes has also been proposed.

The finance minister said a sum of Rs 63 crore (Rs 630 million) to the share capital of the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation has been proposed to expand the reach and intensity of its efforts.

Last year, he said, a sum of Rs 16.47 crore (Rs 164.7 million) was contributed to the equity of NMDFC.

Chidambaram also informed that 50 ministries/departments have set up gender budgeting cells. The outlay for 100 per cent women-specific programmes is Rs 8,795 crore (Rs 87.95 billion) and for schemes where at least 30 per cent is women-specific, it is Rs 22,382 crore (Rs 223.82 billion).