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Madhya Pradesh Minister: Child Development Key to State's Growth

Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria stated that holistic child development is the foundation for the state's sustainable and inclusive growth. She highlighted a historic 26% increase in the budget for child-related sectors for 2026-27. The state has allocated Rs 23,747 crore for health and nutrition schemes, with 13.7% of total expenditure for education. Bhuria stressed the need for inter-departmental coordination and district-specific plans to effectively reach children at the grassroots level.

Key Points: MP Minister: Child Development Key to State Growth

  • Minister Nirmala Bhuria emphasizes holistic child development as foundation for MP's growth
  • State budget for child sectors sees historic 26% increase
  • Rs 23,747 crore allocated for health and nutrition schemes including Poshan 2.0
  • Child Budget Statement now includes 19 departments for better coordination
2 min read

Holistic development of children foundation for Madhya Pradesh's growth: Minister

Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria says holistic child development is foundation for sustainable growth, with 26% budget increase for child sectors.

"All departments must work together with a common objective so that the benefits of government schemes reach children effectively at the grassroots level. - Nirmala Bhuria"

Bhopal, May 13

Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria said on Wednesday that the holistic development of children would be the foundation for the state's sustainable and inclusive growth.

Addressing the 'Child Budgeting in Madhya Pradesh' workshop organised jointly by the Department of Women and Child Development and Unicef in Bhopal, the Minister added that the 2026-27 State Budget reflects the state government's strong commitment towards children.

She said the budget for child-related sectors has witnessed a historic increase of 26 per cent this year.

The Minister noted that the state government has allocated Rs 23,747 crore for health and nutrition schemes, including Poshan 2.0, while 13.7 per cent of the total state expenditure has been earmarked for education.

Minister Bhuria stressed that child development cannot be handled by a single department alone and highlighted the need for better coordination among multiple departments.

She said the Child Budget Statement now includes 19 departments, including Health, Education, Panchayat and Rural Development, Tribal Affairs and Social Justice.

"All departments must work together with a common objective so that the benefits of government schemes reach children effectively at the grassroots level," she added.

The Minister also asked officials to prepare district-specific plans, noting that the needs of children differ across Madhya Pradesh's 55 districts.

On this occasion, William Hanlon, Chief of Field Operations for Unicef Madhya Pradesh, said that the state has successfully completed five years of Child Budgeting and is now moving beyond mere expenditure reporting toward outcome-based budgeting.

"Given Madhya Pradesh's significant tribal population, the budget must ensure equity based on gender and geographical location," he added.

Christina Popivanova, Unicef's Delhi Chief of Social Policy, described the initiative by Madhya Pradesh as being fully aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

She asserted that the goal of a 'Developed India' by 2047 can only be realised if investment in children is viewed not merely from the perspective of 'beneficiaries', but rather on the basis of 'productivity'.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sneha F
Good to hear about district-specific plans. The needs of a child in Bastar are totally different from one in Bhopal. But I wish they would also focus on mental health and digital access in these budgets.
V
Vikram M
As someone who works in rural development, I appreciate the Minister's call for inter-department coordination. That's often the missing link. But frankly, 'outcome-based budgeting' sounds great on paper—implementation on ground is the real challenge. Let's see.
R
Rohit L
Unicef's point about equity for tribal populations is spot on. MP has huge tribal belts—if this budget doesn't reach them, it's just another paper exercise. Hope the 19 departments actually collaborate instead of passing the buck.
P
Priya S
The 'productivity' vs 'beneficiary' shift Unicef mentioned is crucial. We need to see children as future contributors, not just recipients. But the ₹23,747 crore for health and nutrition—will it actually reduce stunting? I'm cautiously optimistic. 😊
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Nitin Z
Good initiative, but I'm tired of such announcements. Show me the results on the ground—school drop-out rates, malnutrition numbers. Talk is cheap, action matters. Let's hope this time it's different.

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