Every year, the government makes a giant financial plan for the country. This plan is called the Union Budget. It decides how much money will go into various sectors of the economy, including education, healthcare, transport, welfare, and even future job opportunities. This year’s Budget 2026 was packed with a lot of things that might interest children. Let’s break it down for you.
What is a budget?
The Union Budget is India’s annual financial plan, prepared by the Ministry of Finance. It estimates how much revenue the government expects to collect and where it plans to spend it. Think of a budget like a family plan for spending money.
- Money comes in through taxes.
- Money goes out to build roads, run schools, improve hospitals, and support people.
A country does the same thing, just on a much bigger scale.
Who presents the union budget?
The Union Budget is traditionally presented annually in the Parliament (specifically the Lok Sabha) by India’s Finance Minister on behalf of the government. It is usually on February 1st each year. The Union Budget is formally known as the “Annual Financial Statement” under Article 112 of the Indian Constitution.
On 1 February 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for Financial Year (“FY”) 2026-27 in Parliament, planning how India will invest in growth, education, healthcare and more.
What in Budget 2026 matters for children?
1. Better learning and future skills:
- Samagra Shiksha: about ₹42,100 crore to support school education programmes.
- PM POSHAN (mid-day meals): roughly ₹12,750 crore to improve student nutrition and health.
- PM SHRI schools: around ₹7,500 crore to strengthen model schools.
2. Safer education for girls:
- The budget proposes a ₹10,000 crore hostel plan for one girls’ hostel in each district, providing students with a secure place to stay while studying away from home.
- The aim is to reduce dropouts after school and help more girls continue higher education.
3. Stronger sports pathway:
If you love sport, the road from playground to professional athlete could become smoother.
- ₹4,479.88 crore for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to boost athlete development and sports infrastructure.
- ₹500 crore to grow sports goods manufacturing, driving research, innovation, and jobs.
- Khelo India Mission announced to spot talent early, improve coaching, and build stronger sports facilities over the next decade.
4. Bigger focus on mental health
- The budget proposes setting up NIMHANS-2, a second National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.
- A firm focus on expanding and upgrading psychiatric care across the country.
With this, getting help for stress, anxiety, or emotional struggles should become easier.
5. Creativity takes front seat in budget 2026
Drawing, designing, gaming, and storytelling are no longer just hobbies. They can become real careers.
- India is promoting the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (“AVGC”) sector with an intention of education-to-future jobs.
- Content creator labs are planned in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges to teach animation, gaming, VFX, and comics.
Schools may soon get creative tech spaces, preparing students for an industry expected to need nearly 2 million professionals by 2030.
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