Children rally for allocating 9 per cent GDP for Edn, health

New Delhi, Jan 30 (UNI) It was an event different from the usual agitational processions in the Capital marked by "sloganeering" and long speeches.

In what could be seen as a "rally with a difference", thousands of endearing children, not a group of political activists or trade union leaders, today carried out a march urging the central government to give them their rightful due in terms of allocations in the Union Budget.

Just a month before the unveiling of the Union budget, over 6000 children from many parts of the country today took out a "march against poverty" to highlight the need for increasing public expenditure on health and education.

The march, held as part of a "9-is-mine" campaign urging the government to allocate nine per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to the sectors, as committed by it in its Common Minimum Programme, was organised under the aegis of "Wada Na Todo Abhiyaan" (Keep Your Promises Campaign), a national coalition of over 900 development and grassroots organisations.

Being led by renowned social activist Swami Agnivesh and supported by renowned police officer Kiran Bedi, the children, many of them dressed as tribals and fishermen, sought to remind the Centre of its promise to set aside 9 per cent of the GDP for their welfare - six per cent for education and three per cent for health.

''The objective of the march is to remind the government of the promises it had made decades ago,''Swami Agnivesh said.

The event saw a host of cultural performances by children across India and guest artists, including a Bhojpuri '9 is mine' song penned and performanced by Piyusha Prasad, a teenage girl.

The culmination was rendering of a few songs by Leslie Lewis of Colonial Cousins fame.

UNI