The Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) has urged the State government to release a detailed ‘Child Budget statement’ after the completion of the Legislative Assembly session.
In a letter to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, TNCRW said that States including Kerala and Karnataka have released their Child Budgets. It suggested that the State allocate funds for empowering children to participate in matters concerning them in all public discourse.
On the need for child budgeting, TNCRW said from the experiences of current budgetary allocation for children, it was inferred that cash transfer programmes or schemes targeting nutrition, school infrastructure, and aid for private homes are not fully addressing the needs of around 29% of the total population of Tamil Nadu. So, there is a need for separate child budgeting since not all children in the State are on an equal footing.
It pointed out that investment in children leads to inclusive and sustainable human development and greater social and economic returns for society. Children deserve the best investment for their survival, development, protection and participation, which is already committed in the TN State Policy for Children 2021.
TNCRW said that similar to the formulation of a Gender Budget in all departments, a Child Budget must also be initiated in all departments, with well defined guidelines and functions for the Child Budget Cell before the next Assembly session. Child Budget should become an annual phenomenon in the State, and interdepartmental discussions, convergent approach to fulfilling the TN State Policy for Children with the participation of child rights organisations should be created, the organisation said.