CBGA - Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability

The recent findings brought out by a study conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) highlights the staggering number of children experiencing different forms of abuse - Physical, Sexual and Emotional Abuse and Girl Child Neglect. Over 50% children in all the 13 sample states were found to be subjected to one or the other form of physical abuse, 53.22% children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse and every second child reported facing emotional abuse. The findings are not surprising when one looks at the minimal allocations and resources for child protection. As also stressed by Loveleen Kacker, Joint Secretary, MWCD, in the absence of a proper understanding of our outlays for children, a major headway in improving outcomes for children is impossible. Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) has been scrutinizing the Union Budget from the lens of children. The Centre set out to explore the investments in children by analysis of wider social sector expenditure and expenditures on child specific schemes.

Looking at broader budgetary provisions, Union Government’s expenditure on social sector has been steadily increasing both as proportion of aggregate government expenditure and real expenditure (at constant prices) over the last decade. The same can be explained by major policy interventions such as stepping up of outlays on SSA, ICDS, Mid Day Meal and RCH schemes. However, increase in Union Government’s allocations for the social sector in the decade from 1996-97 and 2006-07 represents a meager increase of 0.4 percent of the GDP, i.e. from 0.71 percent of GDP in 1996-97 to 1.1 percent of GDP in B.E for 2006-07. Another crucial fact is that the increase has been registered only in case of Revenue Expenditure, while Capital Expenditure has been almost stagnant over the same period. Although there has been a rise in total budgetary provisions earmarked for children as a proportion of total expenditure by the Union Government from 2.11 percent in 2001-02 (BE) to 5.08 percent in 2007-08 (BE), the same is grossly inadequate taking cognizance of the proportion of children in India (42 percent) and their problems. The inadequacy of Union Government’s budgetary allocations also needs to be seen in the light of the growing dependence of State governments on Union Budget outlays on the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for children.

Sectoral analysis paints a similar picture in terms of provisions for children in crucial sectors. Although, total allocations for Child Education in the Union Budget registered a significant increase in 2007-08, the same is mainly on account of Mid-day Meal Scheme and doubling of allocation for Secondary education. It is grossly inadequate taking into account provision of free and compulsory education of good quality for children of the age group 6-14 yrs proclaimed to be a Fundamental Right, and the investment needed for large numbers of children already enrolled. As a proportion of GDP, allocations for Early Childhood Care and Child Development has increased to 0.88 percent of the Union Budget in 2007-08 BE from 0.43 percent of the Union Budget in 2001-02 RE, primarily due to a substantial increase in allocations for ICDS since 2005-06. However, Child Protection remains largely neglected, registering a marginal increase from 0.027 percent of Union Budget in 2001-02 to 0.053 percent of Union Budget in 2007-08 BE, which is quite disturbing when we take into account the alarming number of cases of various forms of crimes against children. Budgetary provisions for Child Health as a proportion of total Government expenditure also show a decline from 0.56 percent in 2006-07 BE to 0.52 percent 2007-08 BE.

Since primary responsibility for provision of social services lies with the states, their contribution assumes prime importance. Due to failure of adequate provisions by the states, situation of children has been adversely affected. Recently, recognizing the fiscal constraints of the states, the funding pattern of 50:50 for SSA as mandated by the Eleventh Plan was discontinued and changed to 65:35 which will eventually move to 50:50 by the final year of the Eleventh Plan i.e. 2011-12. This was done so a not to do irreparable harm especially for states of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and NE States.

Lately, guidelines have been drafted by a high level committee set up by MWCD to address the incidence of child abuse. Stepping up of allocations has to be viewed in the light of fiscal situation of the states.

Despite recognition of the vulnerable position of children by Indian Constitution in several of its articles and India being a signatory to numerous International declarations on child protection and development, it has some of the world’s worst human development indicators relating to children, including child sex ratio, child trafficking, malnutrition, child labour, immunization, education and infant mortality rate which is even worse than its poor neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh. The study conducted by CBGA only draws attention to an area which has been left neglected over decades.

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