Union Budget 2026 shows modest increase in spending on children: CRY

The Union Budget 2026 has recorded a modest rise in allocations for children, indicating incremental progress rather than a major shift in fiscal priorities, according to an analysis by CRY – Child Rights and You.

An official statement issued by CRY on Sunday said that a review of the Expenditure Budget Statement No. 12 shows that total child-related allocations have increased to Rs 1,32,296.85 crore in 2026–27 (Budget Estimates), up from Rs 1,16,132.5 crore in 2025–26. This marks an absolute increase of Rs 16,164.35 crore.

Compared to the previous year, the share of the Child Budget in the overall Union Budget has risen from 2.29 per cent to 2.47 per cent. As a percentage of GDP, allocations have increased marginally from 0.33 per cent to 0.34 per cent.

Puja Marwaha, CEO of CRY – Child Rights and You, said that while the increase reflects positive intent, the overall scale of investment remains limited given India’s population and the growing developmental needs of children.

“Incremental increases in health, nutrition and education are welcome, but inclusive and sustainable growth will require stronger prioritisation of children, with more equitable investments that go beyond marginal year-on-year gains,” she said.

Higher spending on child health and nutrition

Allocations for the Flexible Pool for Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Health System Strengthening, the National Health Programme and the National Urban Health Mission have increased by Rs 261.15 crore, taking the total to Rs 4,591.58 crore, the statement said.

It said that the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme has seen a 5.19 per cent rise, with allocations increasing by Rs 969 crore to Rs 19,635 crore. The Poshan 2.0 programme aims to address malnutrition among children, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women.

The PM Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme has received a 2 per cent increase, with funding rising to Rs 12,749.99 crore.

Notably, the Jal Jeevan Mission has been reintroduced into the Child Budget after 2024–25, with an allocation of Rs 6,736.36 crore, highlighting the importance of safe drinking water for child health.

Education, development and child protection

The Mission Vatsalya scheme has seen a marginal increase of 3.33 per cent, with allocations reaching Rs 1,550 crore.

The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has been allocated Rs 42,100 crore, marking a 2.06 per cent increase over the previous year. Funding for Eklavya Model Residential Schools has risen sharply by over 20 per cent to Rs 7,200 crore, indicating a stronger focus on education for tribal children.

Allocations for Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas have also increased.

The budget has set aside Rs 3,200 crore for Atal Tinkering Labs in 2026–27, signalling renewed emphasis on innovation and scientific learning in government schools. The inclusion of the Skill India Programme in the Child Budget also aligns with the National Education Policy’s focus on early vocational education.

Concerns over equity-focused schemes

Despite these increases, several scholarship schemes for marginalised children have remained largely unchanged. Allocations for pre- and post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Castes have seen no increase, while scholarships for OBCs, EBCs, DNTs, and children with disabilities have recorded only marginal rises.

While the Programme for Development of Scheduled Tribes (PM Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana) has seen a substantial increase, CRY noted that overall attention to equity-focused interventions remains uneven.

Call for stronger focus on children

CRY said that the budget 2026-27 reflects incremental gains rather than transformative investment.

The organisation stressed that future budgets must place children more firmly at the centre of fiscal planning, backed by adequate scale, equity and a long-term vision to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.