The upcoming Union Budget will be a crucial test for the Modi Government. In the midst of pursuit of economic growth, it must ensure that children, who survive in an unequal world, with huge disparities in education, health and participation, get their due
It is appalling that even as India’s child population saw a rise from 450.5 million in 2001 to 472.1 million in 2011, the issue remains largely de-prioritized and neglected. The working group on child rights for the 12th five-year plan (2012-2017), in its vision, had emphasised that more inclusive growth begins with children. It recommended certain amount of outlays for fulfillment of the mandates of children’s right to survival, development, protection and participation.
However, budgetary allocations in the last few years do not reflect on the Government’s intent of treating children as a supremely important asset. The total child budget as a percentage of total Union Budget shows a declining trend since 2012-2013 and stood at only 3.32 per cent in the Union Budget 2016-2017.
A reflection on the 2016-2017 Budget for children reveals the trend and puts in perspective our expectations from the future. The increased outlay in social sector focused marginally on children. While the child budget last year saw an increase of Rs 1,123.36 crore to Rs 65,758.45 crore over a Budget of Rs 64,635.09 crore in 2015-2016 (RE), it resulted in minimum impact on the child at the grass root level. More than 75 per cent of this increased budget was in the schemes of mid-day meals and National Nutrition mission.
The Government intended to strengthen children’s primary education and increased allocation under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan from Rs 22,000 crore (2015-2016) to Rs 22,500 crore (2016-2017).
The increased investment in Budget barely reflects if we see the situation on ground. Even after six years of the implementation of Right to Education, many mandatory requirements have not been met, major one being infrastructure with more than one-third of the schools offering elementary education in the country sill not providing electricity, boundary walls or playgrounds.
Teacher’s training still remained at the back burner even when 20 per cent of existing teachers in Government schools are untrained. (Ministry of Human Resource Development 2014). The five per cent increase in the mid-day meal allocation did not hold much significance, in the background of major budgetary cut in 2014-2015. With serious concerns of inflation over the years and the dire need to improve the quality of mid-day meal, for around 197 million children, a higher investment is imperative.
Secondary education budgetary allocation remained below expectations last year. The budgetary allocation for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan increased by 3.8 per cent from Rs 3,565 crore to Rs 3,700 crore, which is a drop in the ocean, considering only 32 out of every 100 children in India finish school education at age appropriately. The 12th Five Year Plan envisaged near-universal enrollment in secondary education, with enrollment exceeding 90 per cent, India is currently at 80 per cent gross enrollment ratio and it is only 51.2 per cent net enrollment ratio.
The allocation for the Integrated Child Development Scheme, which provides for care, nutrition health and early learning for the youngest of our children, declined by 9.6 per cent, from Rs 1,5483 crore (2015-2016) to Rs 14,000 crore (2016-2017). The scheme is estimated to cover only about 50 per cent of the population of children through 1.34 million anganwadi centres. As on March 2015, 14,673 posts of anganwadi supervisor, 62,970 posts of anganwadi workers and 1,18,609 posts of anganwadi helpers were vacant, which has worsened, adversely impacting the delivery of services.
In the Union Budget 2016-2017, allocation to Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) experienced a slight decline of five crore rupees from Rs 402 crore to Rs 397 crore. This cut has been worrisome if we look at the statistics. Over the last 10 years, the number of crimes against children has increased by more than 500 per cent, from 14,975 in 2005 to 94,172 in 2015. The rate of crimes against children has shockingly increased by more than 15 times.
Given the significant deficits in various development indicators regarding children, it is imperative that the Government must allocate sufficiently for various programmes schemes earmarked for the children in the upcoming Budget. Hopefully, for the 2017-2018 Budget, there will be accelerated investment for children of all age group.
Early years in childhood are foundational years. Hence, it is imperative to look at adequate budgetary investment in skilled human resource, appropriate infrastructure and
filling up of vacant positions in order to make the vision of restructured ICDS a success.
School education requires serious investment, especially in States which have not met the required targets set out on onset of Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE). Approximately, 37 million children in the age group of 15-18 years are not in school. The budgetary allocation for school education should factor in the fact that along with strengthening the framework of elementary education, equal importance should be given for secondary education as well.
For making sure that every child who passes out of class eight continues education and not fall in trap of child labour, adequate investments needs to be carried out in efforts to universalise secondary education. The proportion of budget allocated for ensuring that children are safe, protected is negligible. Growing crime against children undoubtedly is a great concern which requires protective mechanism to be set up for children at multiple levels, which is only possible if it is prioritised.
The Union Budget 2017-2018 will be a crucial test for the Modi Government. In the midst of the pursuit of economic growth, the Government must ensure that children, who survive in an unequal world, with huge disparities in education, health and participation, get their due.
(The writer is director, Policy, Research and Advocacy for CRY — Child Rights and You)