An allocation earmarked for a specific purpose in the budget:

Subsidy
Grant
Provision
Disinvestment

The correct answer is: C) Provision.

A provision is an allocation earmarked for a specific purpose in the budget. It is a commitment to spend money on a particular item or activity. Provisions are usually made for things like salaries, pensions, and other recurring expenses. They can also be made for one-time expenses, such as the purchase of a new building or the construction of a new road.

Subsidies are payments made by the government to businesses or individuals to help them cover the costs of production or consumption. Grants are payments made by the government to businesses or individuals for a specific purpose, such as research or education. Disinvestment is the sale of government assets, such as shares in companies or land.

Here are some examples of provisions:

  • A provision for salaries would be an amount of money that is set aside in the budget to pay the salaries of government employees.
  • A provision for pensions would be an amount of money that is set aside in the budget to pay the pensions of retired government employees.
  • A provision for the purchase of a new building would be an amount of money that is set aside in the budget to purchase a new building for the government.
  • A provision for the construction of a new road would be an amount of money that is set aside in the budget to construct a new road.