December 11: It has been revealed that the Karnali Province government has made very little investment for children in the province.    
Only one percent budget has been appropriated for the children sector in Karnali Province, a study undertaken by the Collective Campaign for Child Rights Karnali revealed. An analysis of the budget appropriated by the Karnali Province government in three fiscal years, from 2021/22 to 2023/24, revealed that only minimal budget has been allocated for this sector.    
Out of a total annual budget of Rs 28.47 billion for the fiscal year 2021/22, over Rs 149 million (1.28 percent) was allocated for children. Likewise, only 0.86 percent budget was appropriated for children in the fiscal year 2022/23. Similarly, 1.07 percent budget has been allocated for children in the fiscal year 2023/24.    
CCR Karnali Chair Tekraj Acharya shared that the Karnali province government has allocated over Rs 355.8 million for the children’s sector this year.    
He shared that four areas of child rights were studied in the budget analysis. Budget allocated for the development of school infrastructure was also considered as budget for the children’s sector.    
Stakeholders have urged all three tiers of the governments to increase investment in the children’s sector. -- RSS