Save the Children's first reaction to the Union Budget

This Union budget is a mixed bag for children,

Education:

• Save the Children welcomes the increase of the school education budget from Rs. 26,800 cr 2009-10 to Rs. 31,036 cr this year. This includes an increase of 14 per cent or Rs. 1668 cr under Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan and 13 per cent or Rs. 675 cr. under the Mid-day Meals Scheme. However, there are 7.72 lakh teachers who are untrained at the moment and in addition, there is a huge vacancy of 12.06 lakh teachers across the country.  There is no clear increase in budgetary allocation for strengthening teacher training institutions.

• 6000 Model Schools have been promised in every block across the country on the lines of the Kendriya Vidalaya but the big question is if these schools will be inclusive. It will only serve to institutionalise two standards of education within the government education system that will cater mostly for children among the rural elite. The money allocated for these model schools would be better used to improve the quality of rural schools. 

Health:

• The Government has stated it will conduct a annual Health Survey; this is a welcome step as it will provide critical data to monitor child health.

• Allocation on the NRHM has increased only by 11 per cent, from Rs. 14002 crores to Rs. 15514 crores. Given the requirement of additional funds to strengthen the rural health infrastructure, filling up vacancies of doctors, ANMs, and paramedics this seems a paltry increase.

• Government expenditure on health has gone down to 0.36 per cent in 2010-11 from 0.37% in 2009-10. If State spending on health remains constant, then combined Centre-State spending on health will not reach the promised 2-3 per cent by 2012. This is clearly in contradiction to the UPA government’s commitment to increase public expenditure on health. Until and unless allocation of the Union Govt. increases substantially, this increase will remain elusive.

• ICDS: The allocation for ICDS has gone up to Rs. 7806.71 crore according to BE 2010-11 from Rs. 6026.30 crore in 2009-10. There is an increase of 29.54 per cent over the last year. However, this is still far from the amount needed for the universalisation of ICDS. Given the fact that it is the only non-health scheme catering for children in the age group of 0-6, the allocation is a paltry 0.113 per cent of GDP and hardly adequate.

Child Protection:

NCLP:

• The allocation for the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) has increased to Rs. 121.50 crore. This is an increase of 35 per cent from Rs. 90 crores in 2009-10. This is however hardly adequate and a slap in the face for the 12.6 million child workers in the country. This amount cannot rehabilitate the millions of child labour.  As per a study by Peoples’ Budget Initiative, the allocation for NCLP should have been at least Rs. 519 crores.

ICPS:

• Save the Children welcomes the budgetary allocation for the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) at Rs. 270 crore. This is a substantial increase and we hope that it is effectively rolled out in all States and implemented.