NEW DELHI, 2 FEB

The Union Budget for 2025-26 has earmarked Rs 1,16,132.5 crore for children, representing a 5.65 per cent increase from last year’s allocation of Rs 1,09,920.95 crore. However, child rights organisations have expressed alarm over shrinking budget shares and significant underfunding in critical areas such as education, health, and child protection.

Currently, the allocation for children constitutes 2.29 per cent of the overall Union Budget, a marked decrease from 4.76 per cent in 2012-13. Analysis by two child rights groups, Child Rights and You (CRY) and HAQ Centre for Child Rights, revealed that the budget for children as a percentage of GDP has declined from 0.34 per cent in 2024-25 to 0.33 per cent this year.

Education remains the top priority, with an allocation of Rs 89,420.84 crore, a 5.16 per cent increase. The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has been boosted by 10 per cent to Rs 41,250 crore, while PM SHRI Schools received Rs 7,500 crore, up by 23.97 per cent. However, concerns persist over uneven fund utilisation, as Rs 15,843 crore remained unspent in 2023-24.

Child health funding rose by 3.82 per cent to Rs 4,676.90 crore, while funding for nutrition initiatives saw only minor increases. With India currently ranked 105th out of 127 countries in the Global Hunger Index, experts argue that slow budget growth undermines efforts to address rising malnutrition rates among children.

Child protection continues to languish at the bottom of priorities, with an increase of just 1.3 per cent, totalling Rs 1,822.45 crore. The discontinuation of the National Child Labour Project has raised apprehensions about the commitment to combating child labour.

In a concerning trend, the Ministry of Minority Affairs faced a drastic 72 per cent cut in its budget, significantly impacting scholarships and education initiatives for minority communities. Critics point to consistent funding cuts during the Revised Estimate stage, emphasising a pattern of inefficient planning and allocation