Madhurendra Sinha
India’s flagship programmes have strengthened investments in children, placing the country on track to achieve SDG 1.2 ahead of the 2030 deadline, according to a recent Unicef report, ‘State of the World’s Children 2025’.
Cynthia McCaffrey, Unicef India Representative, highlighted the significant progress made by India in reducing poverty and how various Government welfare schemes have supported child-focused investments in the country.
The report, she said, “reminds us that ending child poverty is achievable with the tools and knowledge we have. There is no greater return on investment than investing in children. India’s progress shows that accelerating effective programmes can help reach the last mile and achieve India’s Vision 2047.”
Leadership priorities
According to her, improving children’s wellbeing isn’t just about resources; “it’s about the collective will and leadership to prioritise children in every decision we make.” Every child gaining access to healthcare, learning, nutrition, social safety and protection with quality takes us a step closer to reaching them all with equality and opportunity, she said.
At the same time, the report notes that around 206 million children in India still lack access to at least one of six essential services: housing, sanitation, water, nutrition, education, and health. Among them, 62 million children experience two or more deprivations, hindering their ability to reach their full potential.
India is home to approximately 460 million children under 18 years of age.
The Government’s flagship programmes – including Poshan Abhiyaan, Samagra Shiksha, PM-KISAN, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat, and Jal Jeevan Mission – along with India’s world-leading digital public infrastructure, have converged to deliver nutrition, education, income support, sanitation, and financial inclusion at scale.
Sustained investment
Dr Pinaki Chakraborty, Visiting Distinguished Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), said, “Sustained public investments in the social sector are essential for child wellbeing.” Safeguarding fiscal space for programmes for children and enhancing overall spending in key sectors such as health and education will be crucial for India, he added.
Dr Nilanjan Ghosh, Vice-President, Development Studies & Kolkata Head, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), emphasised, “Viksit Bharat @2047 cannot be defined through the narrow lens of per capita GDP alone. A truly developed economy must embed equity, distributive justice, and sustainability into its vision.
India’s real engine of transformation, he said, “lies in sustained investments in children – the most vital reservoir of future human capital and socio-economic progress.”
“By nurturing their health, nutrition, education, and opportunities today, we can unlock the demographic dividend and lay the foundations of a resilient and inclusive nation. The economic and social returns on investing in children are very high,” added Dr Ghosh.
There is no greater return on investment than investing in children. India’s progress shows that accelerating effective programmes can help reach the last mile and achieve India’s Vision 2047