Government to review central schemes in next fiscal year

The government plans to review all central and centrally sponsored schemes in the upcoming fiscal year. This review will focus on how well funds are used and the outcomes of these schemes. It is an important exercise that happens every five years, ahead of a new finance commission cycle. Officials want to identify and eliminate schemes that are no longer useful. They will evaluate various factors, including whether a scheme meets its goals or overlaps with state schemes. The review will also look at how well different states have implemented these programs. The Department of Expenditure has asked ministries to provide suggestions on the schemes they oversee. Some helpful feedback has already been received, especially regarding social sector schemes. The Niti Aayog has been tasked with finding areas where state schemes are similar to centrally sponsored schemes. A report is expected from Niti Aayog by April. This report will include recommendations on whether to continue, modify, merge, or close specific schemes. The final recommendations will be submitted to the finance commission after considering input from various ministries. The Centre has budgeted ₹5.41 lakh crore for centrally sponsored schemes for the fiscal year 2025-26. This is an increase from the revised budget of ₹4.15 lakh crore for the current fiscal year.