This was revealed in a report, “Analysis of State’s Priorities Towards Children”, released by Himachal Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (HPVHA) in collaboration with Centre for Child Rights. The report was recently released by Governor V.S. Kokje.

Even as the government focused on primary education by spending 95 per cent of the total budget for children on this sector, the children’s health sector received only 0.05 per cent, child development got 4.21 per cent and investment on programmes for child protection was only 0.44 per cent of the total budget.

Executive Director of HPVHA Narender Sharma says this report studies the budget figures for children, which have been extracted from various components such as health, education and social welfare. “The objective of our report, especially in view of such glum figures, is to advocate the case for better budget allocation for children. The budget allocation in Himachal not only requires rationalisation, but also better implementation.

Some budgets have not even been implemented.”

However, Director, Social Welfare, Anuradha Thakur prefers to differ. “We still have to verify the figures projected by them under the budget for children. But I feel they have failed to interpret certain things. For instance, the money spent on maternity care is also indirectly meant for the welfare of children.”