It rose from Rs 1,865 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2,354 crore from this year's state budget
The percentage of the state's budget allocated towards women and child development in Gujarat has seen a decline over the years. The department was allocated just 1.15% of the total budget this year against 1.64% in 2013-14, although the amount allocated has risen. It rose from Rs 1,865 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2,354 crore from this year's state budget.
An analysis by Pathey, an organisation that analyses the Budget, found that while the overall budget devoted to women and child development saw a 26.17% increase over the last six years, the overall budget itself saw a hike of 80.48%. "Given that the department focuses on health and nutrition of women and children and their safety, there is a need for better allocation. Whatever allocation is made is not completely utilized either," the organisation said.
To elaborate, it explained that 96.61% of the allocated budget for the department was spent in 2012-13 which came down to 65.33% in 2017-18. This means against Rs 56.25 crore that was spent less in 2012-13, the unspent amount increased to Rs 713.03 crore in 2017-18.
This is likely to come down for 2018-19, when 80.57% of the allocated budget is expected to be spent with the unspent amount likely to be at around Rs 456.55 crore.
The organisation also found that despite malnourishment, which is a major problem for both women and children in the state, the department had failed to spend the amount allocated for the purpose.
"Of the total budget allocated for the department, 90% is for efforts aimed at improving nutrition levels in women and children. Yet not even Rs 500 crore from the budget is used for these efforts," the organisation said.
A substantial part of the money from the budget, supposed to be spent on schemes to provide shelter to battered women and to ensure their safety, also remained unspent. In 2017-18, against Rs 216 crore allocated to be spent to improve the safety of women in the state, just Rs 167 crore was spent.
"As is, the overall allocation for the department is low. And even in cases where the allocation is being made, it is not being utilised entirely."
ON A DECLINE
The department was allocated just 1.15% of the total budget this year against 1.64% in 2013-14, although the amount allocated has risen.
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