Budget hike for social sector garners mixed response | India Gazette

Budget hike for social sector garners mixed response

India Gazette (IANS) Saturday 17th March, 2012

Representatives from civil society and non-governmental organisations Saturday welcomed the 45 percent hike in investment on women and child development adding that funding gaps remain for certain social schemes.

"This budget will yield more benefits for children in India. We hope that the increasing trend continues and the gaps are filled in the next one or two years," said Thomas Chandy, CEO of Save the Children.

Among the mission for empowerment of child development, the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), a programme for early childhood care and development, was given a sizeable increase of 58 percent from Rs.10,000 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.15,850 crore in 2012-2013.

"The ICDS is being strengthened and re-structured," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Parliament Friday.

The civil society groups said it was encouraging to see an increase in allocations for children's programmes, but gaps between the desired levels of funding and the allocations are substantial.

"We are happy, but there is obviously a gap that needs to be bridged," said Chandy.

While there was a positive response on the rise in allocation, experts said crucial schemes relating to women empowerment were given "token allocations".

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