New Delhi: India's fiscal budget has risen from Rs.193 crores to over Rs.10 lakh crores in the 63 years since independence of the country in 1947, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said while presenting the budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha Monday.

"Madam speaker, I am happy to announce that for the first time, the budget estimates have crossed Rs.10 lakh crores. From Rs.193 crores in the first budget, the estimates for the current financial year are Rs.10 lakh, 20,838 crores," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee had presented his previous budget as finance minister in the government of prime minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago.

The allocation for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has been increased by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore, Finance Minister said.

Additionally, the Indira Awas Yojna, a housing programme for the poor, has been allocated Rs.2,000 crore, while a Rs.2,000-crore special fund has been set up to finance rural housing projects.

Mukherjee also announced a Rs.3,973-crore allocation for urban poor

The government will raise the the allocation for cleaning India's rivers and lakes to Rs.562 crore ($110 million) in fiscal 2009-10 from Rs.335 crore last fiscal, he said.

Mentioning that the government had unveiled its National Action Plan on Climate Change last year and that eight national missions under it were being finalised, Mukherjee committed that the government would provide "necessary funds" for all the missions.

The annual economic survey had estimated that India is now spending over 2.6 percent of its GDP in having to adapt to climate change, which is affecting farm output, making droughts, storms and floods more frequent and more severe, and raising the sea level.

The minister also announced special allocations for the Indian Council for Foresty Research and Education, the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India.

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