Sentence improvement – select the precise phrasal verb for budgeting: replace 'laid aside a large sum on it' with 'set aside a large sum for it' to express earmarking funds for technical education.

Given sentence
'Realising is the significance of technical education for developing country, the government laid aside a large sum on it during the last plan-period.'

Concept/Approach
Set aside means 'reserve or earmark funds'. Also, money is allocated for a purpose, not 'on' it. (Other infelicities like 'Realising the significance' and 'for a developing country' are outside the tested fragment.)

Step-by-step correction of the target phrase
'laid aside … on it' → 'set aside a large sum for it'.

Why other options are incorrect
'laid up' → means 'store/put in bed due to illness'; wrong sense.'laid out' → means 'spent/exhibited'; not the intended 'earmark' meaning.'No improvement' → keeps wrong verb and preposition.

Final Answer
set aside