New Delhi: The Union Budget has left several child right activists disappointed as they call the budgetary increment for programmes for children only “nominal”.
According to non-profit Child Rights And You, the allocations fail to meet National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC) recommendations of 5 per cent funds.
Nobel Laureate and social activist Kailash Satyarthi said he was disappointed with the “nominal” increase for the National Child Labour Plan.
Komal Ganotra, director (policy, research and advocacy) at CRY told PTI, “Like last 15 years, budgets for children have remained stagnant with Union Budget 2017-18 allocating just 3.32 per cent to children. While the need is that of exponential increase, allocations for children have seen only an incremental increase with Rs 71,305.35 crore from Rs 65,758.45 crore in 2016-17 budget.”
“This budget does not even meet the conservative recommendation stated in National Plan of Action for Children,” she claimed.
In the Budget, four child-related schemes got some boost. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (from Rs 22,500 crore to Rs 23,500 crore), Mid-day meal scheme (Rs 9,700 crore to Rs 10,000 crore), Integrated Child Development Schemes (Rs 14,000 crore to 15,245 crore) and increase of Rs 339 crore in National Rural Health Mission flexible pool.
Mr Satyarthi welcomed the eight per cent increase in the budget for empowerment and protection of children and said the government’s decision to raise the fund for women and child development from Rs 1.56 lakh crore to Rs 1.84 lakh crore is reassuring.
But he added that it was “disappointing that there is nominal increment for the National Child Labour Project”.
Mr Satyarthi said that he has always emphasized on safeguarding a child’s environment and they can be addressed by allocating and spending on child welfare programmes.
“Children comprise 39 per cent of our population are yet allotted only 3.32 per cent of the budget,” he said.
According to Ms Ganotra, the increase in the allocation of budget in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan by Rs 1,305 crore will be distributed among 10,80,757 elementary schools across India and huge gaps need to be plugged in areas like teacher vacancy, infrastructure and quality learning.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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