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Sinha says Orissa is govt's 'top priority'

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has refuted criticism that the central government is not extending adequate financial help the cyclone-devastated Orissa.

"Orissa is our top priority. The state needs our assistance and I'am aware of it," said Sinha.

He also refused to specify whether the next Union Budget would allocate more funds for the care of the destitute and neglected children.

He was speaking at a seminar on "Children in Need: In the Centre of Development" organised by a non-governmental organisation Prayas in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"Everyone keeps on asking for more money for one project or the other. I know that the money being spent on destitute and neglected children is not enough. As many as six different ministries of the government of India are looking after various projects related to children. I have been told that the money spent on the welfare of children is just two per cent of the total budget. But I am sure if we look at the total money spent by various ministries, the figure would be much higher," he said.

He promised to set up a nodal agency to coordinate various projects being looked after six ministries of the Union government so that the overlapping of work could be avoided and money saved thereby could be spent usefully on other projects for the welfare of the children.

He was replying to the demand put forward by the Amod Kanth, joint commissioner of police, Southern Range, Delhi, and secretary of Prayas. "We are celebrating the 'Rights of the Child Week' but our efforts are hollow. The government spends only two per cent of the total budget on the welfare schemes relating to children which is woefully inadequate," Kanth said.

He agreed with the suggestion made by Richard Young, chief of UNICEF-India, that NGOs need to pay greater attention to the welfare of the girl-child and not neglect this sphere altogether.

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