CRY reacts to Union Budget
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 03 2026: Reacting to the Union Budget 2026-27, Child Rights and You (CRY) has stated that it reflects a modest but notable uptick in allocations for children, signalling incremental progress rather than a transformative shift in fiscal prioritisation.

According to a quick analysis done by CRY, the total child-related allocations have risen to Rs 1,32,296.85 crore in 2026-27, up from Rs 1,16,132.5 crore in 2025-26, registering an absolute increase of Rs 16,164.35 crore.

The share of the Child Budget in the overall Union Budget 26-27 has increased from 2.29 per cent to 2.47 per cent, while allocations as a percentage of GDP have increased marginally from 0.33 per cent to 0.34 per cent.

In this connection, Puja Marwaha, CEO, CRY said, "While this signals positive intent, the overall scale of investment remains limited when viewed against India's demographic realities and the growing developmental needs of children.

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

Despite the incremental progress, CRY pointed out that several scholarship schemes for children from marginalised communities remain largely stagnant.

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

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