Key Highlights
- Gender‑related allocation rises to ₹5.01 lakh crore, an 11.55% jump from the prior year.
- The proportion of gender budget within the overall Union Budget climbs to 9.37%, up from 8.86%.
- 53 ministries/departments and five Union Territories have disclosed gender‑budget figures, four more than last year.
- Gender budgeting, introduced in 2005‑06, continues to channel funds into women‑centric health, education, skill and protection schemes.
Detailed Insights
During the presentation of the Union Budget for fiscal 2026‑27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an earmarked sum of ₹5.01 lakh crore for programs that directly benefit women and girls. This figure represents an 11.55% increase over the ₹4.49 lakh crore allocated in the 2025‑26 budget, underscoring a heightened governmental commitment to gender‑inclusive growth.
The gender‑budget share now accounts for 9.37% of the total Union Budget, nearing the one‑tenth mark. Such a percentage signals that a substantial slice of national resources is being directed toward initiatives that advance women’s welfare, safety, economic participation, and social empowerment.
Participating ministries have expanded considerably: 53 ministries and departments, along with five Union Territories, have reported gender‑budget allocations, compared with 49 ministries the previous year. Four additional ministries incorporated gender‑budget components this cycle, marking the broadest institutional engagement since the framework’s inception.
Gender budgeting is not a parallel budget for women; rather, it is an analytical tool that integrates gender‑sensitive criteria into the planning and allocation of public funds. Instituted in 2005‑06, the approach seeks to rectify disparities in sectors such as health, education, skill development, and social protection, aligning India’s fiscal policy with Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality.
Key Concepts
- Gender Budgeting: A policy mechanism that examines and guides public expenditure to ensure equitable benefits for women and girls across all governmental schemes.
- Gender‑Budget Share: The ratio of gender‑focused allocation to the total Union Budget, expressed as a percentage.
- Women‑Centric Schemes: Programs specifically designed to improve health, education, safety, economic participation, and overall empowerment of women and girls.