Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The proposed budget for the Union Women Child Development Ministry was reduced by over 18 per cent as compared to the last fiscal. Also, there is no allocation earmarked for the Centre’s flagship Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
The sum set aside for the ministry in 2021-22 is Rs 24,435 crore. It was Rs 30, 001 last year, which was later revised to Rs 21,008 crore.
Of the total budget, the highest amount Rs 20, 105 crore has been allocated to the newly announced Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan 2.0 scheme.
Mission Poshan 2.0 in an umbrella scheme covering the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, scheme for adolescent girls and the national creche scheme.
Hon’ble Speaker,
I present the Budget for the year 2021-2022.
1. Honourable Speaker, the preparation of this Budget was undertaken in circumstances like never before. We knew of calamities that have affected a country or a region within a country, but what we have endured with COVID-19 through 2020 is sui generis.
2. When I presented the Budget 2020-21, we could not have imagined that the global economy, already in throes of a slowdown, would be pushed into an unprecedented contraction.
3. We could not have also imagined then that our people as those in other countries would have to endure the loss of near and dear ones and suffer hardships brought about due to a health crisis.
Union Budget 2021: Here is Full Text of Nirmala Sitharaman s Address at the Parliament
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Introduction
Honourable Speaker, the preparation of this Budget was undertaken in circumstances like never before. We knew of calamities that have affected a country or a region within a country, but what we have endured with COVID-19 through 2020 is sui generis. RELATED NEWS
When I presented the Budget 2020-21, we could not have imagined that the global economy, already in throes of a slowdown, would be pushed into an unprecedented contraction.
We could not have also imagined then that our people as those in other countries would have to endure the loss of near and dear ones and suffer hardships brought about due to a health crisis.
COVID-19 vaccine
Sitharaman announced Rs 2,83,846 lakh crores for the health and wellness sector which will also include Rs 35,000 crores for COVID-19 vaccines and also said that she is committed to spending more if needed. This money will be used for the development and distribution of the vaccines. She said this amounts to a 137 percent increase in the health allocations from the previous FY.
The Finance Minister said that two new COVID-19 vaccines will soon be announced without making any mention of which ones. Currently, India has given restricted emergency use approvals to two vaccines - the indigenously made Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech and Oxford s Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
Brewing a Poshan for nutrition
February 01, 2021
Version 2.0 will merge existing programmes to strengthen outcomes
Given the heightened focus on health and nutrition across the world due to the pandemic, the Government has announced the launch of Mission Poshan 2.0. This will be implemented by merging the supplementary nutrition programme and the Poshan Abhiyan, in a bid to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcome.
Under Poshan Abhiyan 2.0, the government will intensify its strategy to improve nutritional outcomes across 112 aspirational districts.
Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Monday tweeted, “Mission Poshan 2.0, prioritizing 112 aspirational districts, will develop practices that will nurture health, wellness and immunity of children and pregnant women thereby making a concerted effort towards eradicating malnutrition from its roots.”