Dhaka: Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in his budget presentation included for the first time a separate segment titled ‘Shishuder Niye Budget Vabna’ (Budget thoughts for Children).

“I broached a plan in my previous budget speech to prepare a child budget on experimental basis from 2015-16 financial year (FY16),” the minister said.

Accordingly, he presented a report titled Shishuder Niye Budget Vabna taking into account the budgetary allocations of five ministries directly related to socio-economic development of children. “In formulating this report, we have considered the projects, programmes, and other initiatives directly dealing with the needs, rights and welfare of children,” Muhith said.

He said that the child budget is a subject that encompasses the activities of all ministries. In order to complete a child budget the initiatives of all the ministries dealing with children’s welfare should be taken into consideration.

“But, in the first place, we need to identify all these programmes and build a proper framework to evaluate their impacts,” he said.

The minister, however, said this task would be implemented in phases, with taking soon a project named “Strengthening Capacity for Child Focused Budgeting in Bangladesh (SC-CFB)”, which would commence from July 2015.

He said once the project is implemented, capacity of the Finance Division and other child related ministries in terms of proper utilization of resources and its reporting will be enhanced.