The Hindu : National : Concern over neglect of children under six in budget

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Concern over neglect of children under six in budget

Special Correspondent

Concern over `neglect' of children under six

CHENNAI: A group of activists has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing deep concern about the neglect of children under six in the Union Budget 2007-08, terming it a "staggering and unacceptable imbalance in Budget priorities."

The communiqué, signed among others by economist Jean Dreze, Aruna Roy of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information and N.C. Saxena, former Member, Planning Commission, said it was shocking that the Government of India would be spending less than Rs. 5,000 crore this year on children under six, representing more than 15 per cent of India's population compared to Rs. 96,000 crore to be spent on defence.

The allocation for ICDS (Rs. 4,761 crore) has barely increased in real terms, and was virtually unchanged as a proportion of GDP.

The message to the Prime Minister has also been copied to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Alhuwalia.

It recalls the Prime Minister's assurance to some of the signatories after the Bal Adhikar Samvad that the UPA Government was committed to the universalisation of ICDS and to fulfilling the Supreme Court ruling on ICDS. "We are, therefore, startled and dismayed that this commitment is not reflected at all in the Union Budget 2007-08."

Shantha Sinha of the M.V. Foundation, Kavita Srivastava of People's Union for Civil Liberties, Harsh Mander of the Centre for Eqity Studies, Sudha Sundararaman of the All-India Democratic Women's Association, Vandana Prasad of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Annie Raja of the National Federation for Indian Women, Arun Gupta of Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, Veena Shatrugna of the National Institute of Nutrition, and Mridula Bajaj of Mobile Creches also signed the letter.

"It is a mystery to us how the CMP commitment and Supreme Court judgment can possibly be implemented within such meagre budget allocations," they wrote. The Supreme Court judgment requires an increase in the number of anganwadis from the present 9.4 lakh to at least 14 lakhs by December 2008. Higher allocations are also required to enhance the quality of ICDS services.

Based on fairly conservative calculations of the requirements of "universalization with quality," the National Advisory Council recommended (in November 2004) an allocation of at least Rs. 9,600 crore for ICDS in 2007-08.

"This figure needs upward revision in the light of the Supreme Court judgment, yet the actual provision in the Union Budget 2007-8 is not even half of this conservative estimate," they said.

The contrast was shocking especially at a time of growing evidence (particularly from the National Family Health Survey) that there has been no substantial improvement in infant and young child nutrition, including optimal breastfeeding practices, during the last eight years.

The signatories urged the Prime Minister to intervene and ensure a fairer deal for children in the Union Budget and in the 11th Plan. "We also take this opportunity to reiterate our appeal for more active political leadership on children's issues, including the universalisation of ICDS."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National