Budget for Women and Child Development shrinks, poshan slashed by 27%
Updated:
Updated:
Several schemes re-grouped without adequate increments in allocations, says analyst
Share Article
AAA
Dip in resources: The allocation for Poshan Abhiyan was slashed by 27%, from ₹3,700 crore last year to ₹2,700 crore this time. Special Arrangement.
Several schemes re-grouped without adequate increments in allocations, says analyst
The Budget allocated for the Ministry of Women and Child Development shrank to 0.7% of the budget announced on Monday, according to leading economists.
The Ministry received ₹24,430 crore for fiscal 2022, which was 0.7% of the Budget. In last year’s announcement, it received ₹30,007 crore which was 0.98% of the Budget, analyses Ritu Dewan, vice-president, Indian Society for Labour Economics and co-convenor of Feminist Policy Collective. This figure went down in the revised estimate for the current fiscal, which at ₹23,165 crore was 0.61% of the
A malnourished child at a community health center in Baran District in Rajasthan. Sanjay Rawat/Outlook
The Challenge Of Acute Malnutrition
Treating Severely Acute Malnourished children must be the first priority of healthcare workers
The National Family Health Survey of 2019-20 (NFHS 5) data for 17 states and 5 Union Territories, India, released last month, reflects a rise in malnutrition numbers among children. As per the data, wasting (acute malnutrition) has been on the rise for children in 12 states, and this is a definite cause of panic.
Consider that this is partial data, and the survey was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown i.e. before 9.17 crore children in 11.35 lakh schools lost access to mid-day meals and many more found themselves without food as their guardians lost their livelihood. This is a cause for alarm.
PM-KISAN sees higher spend, but all welfare schemes aren t as lucky
The study, part of CPR s Accountability Initiative, says Modi government front-loaded payments under the PM-KISAN farmer income support programme and provided additional provisions for the Mid-Day Meal scheme
Joe C Mathew | January 22, 2021 | Updated 17:49 IST
Since PM-KISAN scheme s launch in February 2019 (till December 31, 2020), government has released seven instalments
The central government s COVID-19 response has seen more funds flow towards some of its flagship welfare programmes but less to others, a pre-budget analysis of the structure, fund flows and implementation of six key schemes carried out by Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) shows.
4-MIN READ
Union Budget 2021: Will Nirmala Sitharaman Address India’s Hunger Woes?
A file photo shows a child eating from a bowl on a street in a slum in Hyderabad. (AFP)
On the Global Hunger Index 2020, India ranked 94 among 107 countries – worse than Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. New Delhi
FOLLOW US ON:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has already whetted our appetites with a promise of a budget “like never before” but will she make enhanced allocations to strengthen India’s fight against acute hunger, despite various other expenditure heads vying for her attention in a rather tough year? She is already faced with the unenviable task of allocating more funds to public health in a pandemic year while tackling acute revenue shortage and worsening fiscal health. Will nutrition and hunger be given priority?
Wanted: A Poshan Plus Strategy To Deal With Malnutrition Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is the core platform for intervention delivery under the Poshan Abhiyan. Representational Image
Wanted: A Poshan Plus Strategy To Deal With Malnutrition
Niti Aayog flags gaps and challenges in the implementation of Poshan Abhiyan in various states
The Niti Aayog’s monitoring and evaluation unit has highlighted several gaps and challenges in the implementation of the Poshan Abhiyan in various States, stressing on the need to “quickly graduate” to “a Poshan-plus strategy” to address the problem of malnutrition more effectively.
The Poshan-Plus strategy should not only focus on strengthening the core pillars of the national nutrition programme but also have “renewed focus” on other social determinants such as sanitation, education, poverty alleviation and food security, it has recommended.