Investing in India's Children: A Look at Child Budgets
Although home to 43.6 crore children and the largest number of adolescents in the word, India has consistently fallen short in public spending for its youngest segment of citizens aged 0-18. The Union Budget for 2025 presents a pivotal opportunity for the government to prioritise investments in children who make up around 40 per cent of the country's population. In this article, drawing on Union and State budgets, Avani Kapur, Founder and Director, ResGov, Sharad Pandey, Senior Research Consultant, ResGov, and Aparajita Sharma, Thematic Lead, Mobile Creches, examine the trends, challenges, and opportunities in child budgeting. By analysing current allocations and systemic gaps, they outline a roadmap which aims to ensure that the country's children receive the resources they need to create a better future for themselves and for India.
