Introduction
Gender budgeting in India has evolved significantly over the past two decades, with the government incorporating gender perspectives into its fiscal planning. The Gender Budget Statement (GBS) was first introduced in the Union Budget in 2005-06 and has since become a key tool to analyze how public expenditure addresses gender inequality. The 2024–2025 Union Budget continues this tradition by allocating funds to women-centric schemes and ensuring gender responsiveness in various sectors. Using the framework provided in Unit 2 of MGSE-002, this analysis evaluates the 2024–25 budget in terms of gender allocations, programs, and overall responsiveness to women’s needs.
Framework from Unit 2: Gender Budgeting Analysis
- Part A: 100% Women-Specific Programs
- Part B: Pro-Women Programs (30% or more of the benefits accrue to women)
- Gender-Disaggregated Data: Use of data to monitor outcomes
- Outcome-Based Evaluation: Focus on results, not just financial inputs
Gender Budget Allocation in 2024-25
In the 2024–25 Union Budget, the total allocation for gender budgeting stands at approximately ₹2.2 lakh crore, which is about 5.2% of the total expenditure. This is an increase compared to the previous year, reflecting a stronger commitment toward gender inclusion. The breakdown is as follows:
- Part A (100% women-specific schemes): ₹1.0 lakh crore
- Part B (Pro-women schemes): ₹1.2 lakh crore
Key Gender-Focused Schemes and Programs
1. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
- Mission Shakti: ₹3,200 crore allocated for women’s safety, shelter homes, and support systems.
- Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: ₹20,554 crore to improve nutrition and health of women and children.
2. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): ₹1,800 crore allocated to support institutional deliveries.
- PM Ayushman Bharat: Includes free healthcare benefits for women.
3. Ministry of Rural Development
- MGNREGA: ₹89,400 crore with 55% of workers being women.
- DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission): ₹15,000 crore to support Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
4. Ministry of Education
- Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao: ₹500 crore for promoting girl child education.
- Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Includes special provisions for girls’ sanitation, hostels, and scholarships.
5. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Allocates a dedicated portion of training slots for women.
6. Ministry of Finance
- Mahila Samman Savings Certificate: Extended till 2025 to encourage savings by women with up to 7.5% annual interest.
Evaluation Using Outcome Indicators
Unit 2 stresses the need for gender-disaggregated outcomes to measure real impact. In this budget:
- Poshan Tracker is used for real-time monitoring of nutrition outcomes for women and children.
- SHG Bank linkage target is set at ₹6 lakh crore, indicating financial inclusion outcomes for women.
- Support for female entrepreneurship under Start-Up India and Mudra Yojana is encouraged, although disaggregated data is limited.
Gender Gaps and Areas for Improvement
- Some major ministries still lack clear gender-based allocations.
- No dedicated budget for menstrual hygiene management despite health concerns.
- Transport and urban infrastructure lack focus on women’s safety and mobility.
- Need for better monitoring and gender-disaggregated data across sectors.
Positive Trends
- Women-centric financial products are gaining ground.
- Increased attention to nutrition and maternal health.
- More women-led SHGs supported under rural schemes.
Conclusion
The 2024–25 Union Budget reflects a continued commitment to gender budgeting. With increased allocations and integration of women-focused programs across multiple ministries, the budget moves in the right direction. However, the effectiveness of gender budgeting depends not just on allocations but on implementation, monitoring, and actual impact. By strengthening gender-disaggregated data, promoting accountability, and ensuring grassroots participation, India can make its gender budgeting framework more robust and transformative.