new delhi, Sept. 10 -- The Centre will shortly begin a mid-term review of its key economic and welfare programmes to fuel growth and spark job creation, according to two people familiar with the matter. The exercise, led by the ministry of finance and slated to begin next month, is expected to redirect resources toward employment initiatives and potentially increase allocations for entrepreneurship and skills-based programmes, the people said, asking not to be named as the discussions are private. "The mid-year review of various schemes and proposals is intended to build on earlier steps like GST rate cuts and income tax relief announced in the Union budget, with the aim of amplifying their impact and stimulating consumption," one of the two people cited above said. "Budget allocations for key schemes will be reviewed and could be scaled up where necessary," the person added. A finance ministry spokesperson didn't respond to emailed queries. Several flagship schemes will undergo review, including the rural jobs initiative Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, artisans scheme PM Vishwakarma, street vendors' scheme PM SVANidhi and micro-loans scheme PM Mudra Yojana. Others such as the Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyaan to support farmers' income, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for skill development and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana for farmer's pensions also may be reviewed, the people mentioned above said, besides Make in India 2.0 and the newly approved Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme. The review comes as policymakers contend with uneven consumer spending, sluggish private investment and persistent global economic challenges. "Initiatives focused on SMEs and MSMEs are also likely to be assessed, reflecting the government's emphasis on small businesses as engines of job creation," said the second person. "Their role becomes even more critical in the wake of US reciprocal tariffs, which are expected to weigh heavily on these sectors." The government is also looking at whether budget allocations are sufficient to meet its growth and employment targets, the first person said. "The mid-year review of various schemes and proposals is intended to build on earlier steps like GST rate cuts and income tax relief announced in the Union Budget, with the aim of amplifying their impact and stimulating consumption," said the first person mentioned above, who didn't want to be named. The rural job guarantee scheme, one of India's largest social safety nets, was allocated Rs.86,000 crore for FY26, unchanged from the previous year. The scheme, which provides 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural households seeking unskilled work, has long been central to livelihood security in the countryside, though economists say stagnant funding may constrain its effectiveness amid rising demand. The PM Vishwakarma scheme, launched in 2023 to support artisans and craftspeople, received Rs.5,100 crore for 2025-26, as part of a broader five-year outlay of Rs.13,000 crore. Similarly, the restructured PM SVANidhi programme, which provides loans to street vendors, has a total allocation of Rs.7,332 crore with lending extended to March 2030. For farmers, the PM-Aasha programme, which offers price support for crops, carries an outlay of Rs.35,000 crore spread across the entire 15th Finance Commission cycle, running through FY26. Meanwhile, the ELI Scheme, approved in July this year, is backed by nearly Rs.1 trillion to create over 35 million jobs, with benefits accruing over a two-year window from August 2025....