Budget Analysis | Higher spending in pandemic year, but only a few critical schemes gained A lowdown of the social sector programmes that gained and lost in budget allocation. February 02, 2021 / 01:47 PM IST The Union government’s expenditure in the COVID-hit fiscal year 2020-21 would likely be 13 percent higher than budgeted due to increased spending on livelihood schemes, direct benefit cash transfers, free rations and fertiliser subsidies. However, spending on key programmes such as the ones meant for child health and welfare, education, sanitation and rural infrastructure suffered big cuts. Overall, the Union government is set to spend Rs 34.50 lakh crore in the current fiscal against the budgeted Rs 30.42 lakh crore, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced while presenting the budget proposals for the fiscal year 2021-22.