The finance ministry is likely to make a higher allocation of about Rs 46,330 crore as central assistance to the state and the Union Territory plans in 2002-03 compared to Rs 40,644 crore in the current fiscal year. According to sources, as a percentage of the Centre's gross budgetary support, the assistance to states would go up from below 40 per cent during 2001-02 to 41 per cent in the next fiscal year.