Here's what Finance Minister Chidambram's allocation to the education sector:
- National Plant Protection Training Institute at Hyderabad to be made autonomous body and Rs.29 crore will be allocated to it.
- SC, ST and minority students to continue to get special attention.
- Rs 75 crore sanctioned for Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Programme for SC/ST students pursuing M.Phil.
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan will be provided Rs 13,100 crore, Mid Day Meal scheme Rs 8,000 crore, Secondary education Scheme Rs 4,554 crore.
- 410 additional Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalaya to be set up in backward blocks.
- Navodaya Vidyalayas to be opened in 20 districts with special focus on regions having SC/ST concentration.
- Allocation of Rs 130 crore for this purpose. Rs.750 crore more to be given for merit scholarship to students up to 10th and 12th class.
- Mid day Meal scheme extended to upper primary level in 3479 schools. 16 central universities to be opened in 2008-09.
- Three IITs to be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
- Schools of architecture and planning in Bhopal and Vijaywada. More institutes of higher education to be opened.
- Rs 100 crore to be given to Information Technology Ministry to set up national knowledge centres.
- Allocation for NRHM increased to Rs 12,050 crore.
- Rs 85 crore sanctioned for scholarships to students pursuing science education.
- Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research to be set up at Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.