<h1>Finance Minister Boosts 2018-19 Budget for SCs and STs, Increasing Funding Across Hundreds of Programs.</h1> The Union Minister for Finance announced an increase in the budget allocations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) during the presentation of the General Budget 2018-19. The allocation for SCs rose from Rs. 34,334 crore in 2016-17 to Rs. 52,719 crore in 2017-18, and further to Rs. 56,619 crore in 2018-19. Similarly, the allocation for STs increased from Rs. 21,811 crore in 2016-17 to Rs. 32,508 crore in 2017-18, reaching Rs. 39,135 crore in 2018-19. These funds are distributed across 279 programs for SCs and 305 programs for STs.