ALL public expenditure meant for development of a community can be expected to have some benefits for children as well. However, in a country where children are clearly a disadvantaged section, there exists a strong case for identifying that part of the public expenditure specifically earmarked for addressing their needs. Such an exercise requires segregating those schemes which are specifically meant for addressing the needs of children, and it is this expenditure which is referred to as the magnitude of total Child Budget. The present article focuses on tracking the expenditures on those schemes from all kinds of developmental schemes in the union budget which are specifically meant for addressing the needs of children.

Unravelling the Union Budget