Credit: Shome BasuThe latest Budget speech perpetuates a chronic blindness to basic social needs. Children are not mentioned at all and nor are (say) nutrition, social security or maternity entitlements.KeywordNumber of citations20142016Investment3423Growth3120NREGA/employment guarantee21Nutrition20Social security10Children00Integrated Child Development Services00Midday meals/school meals00Maternity/maternity entitlements00National food security act00Pensions (other than organized sector)00National Health Mission01aa “Funds will be made available through PPP mode under the National Health Mission, to provide dialysis services in all district hospitals.”The 2016-17 budget also continues the long-standing trend of ignoring the social sector at the expense of defence:Defence Expenditure vs Spending on the Social Sector (in crores of rupees)