Patna: In a move to sharpen its public financial planning for children, the govt of Bihar has planned a strategic shift towards evidence-based budgeting, rigorous outcome tracking, and structural reforms for its upcoming Child Welfare Budget 2026-27.With children constituting nearly half of Bihar’s total population, state policymakers and international experts have prioritised moving beyond mere budget analysis to introduce actionable reforms that guarantee higher allocations that translate into measurable, real-world results in health, nutrition, education, and protection.The directive was central to the Technical Consultation on Child Welfare Budget 2026-27, organised on Friday by the state govt’s finance dept in collaboration with the Unicef and Child Rights Centre of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU).The finance department called for regular assessments of expenditure efficiency, shifting the focus from how much money is allocated to how effectively it improves child development indicators. It stated that the govt departments will collaborate to fix existing gaps in budget classification and financial monitoring, building a more robust and accountable child welfare framework. Future policymaking and resource allocations will strictly rely on empirical data and evidence-based research rather than traditional baseline budgeting.“Higher budget allocations must translate into measurable results. This technical consultation provides an important platform for over 15 departments to identify implementation challenges and strengthen child-focused budgeting through evidence-based solutions,” said Rachna Patil, secretary (expenditure), finance department. Patil noted that while Bihar has significantly expanded its financial commitment to children since pioneering the Child Welfare Budget in 2013-14, the current priority must be maximising expenditure efficiency.Monika Nielsen, chief of Unicef Bihar Field Office, while delivering the inaugural address, urged the state to accelerate its momentum. “Bihar has made significant progress in prioritising children’s issues,” Nielsen said, adding, “A stronger child welfare budget will further accelerate improvements, but we must move towards actionable reforms that improve planning, expenditure efficiency, and accountability in child-focused public finances.”Representing the academic and legal sector, S P Singh, registrar of CNLU, emphasised that constitutional and legal safeguards are hollow without adequate, well-planned public investment. He committed CNLU’s ongoing support to the govt and Unicef through targeted policy inputs and capacity-building initiatives.During the technical sessions, Abhay Kumar, social policy specialist, Unicef Bihar, presented a comprehensive analysis of Bihar’s Child Welfare Budget trends over the past decade, mapping out historical expenditure patterns and identifying precise areas where tracking can be tightened. Additionally, Soumen Bagchi, financing for children specialist, Unicef India country office, introduced successful national and international best practices in child-responsive public finance to serve as a blueprint for Bihar’s upcoming fiscal strategy.The high-level consultation concluded with a departmental review moderated by Rachana Patil and a formal vote of thanks delivered by Sugandha Sinha of CNLU.
